PROS: Fast Charging, WiFi, Charge Scheduling, Smartphone app, Adjustable current.
CONS: Cable could be longer.
| Product | Amp rating | Level | Cable Length | Nema | Power | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GoPlug – Level 2 Portable EV Charger (32 Amp) | 32 Amp | Level 2 | 18 Feet (5.4M) | NEMA 14 – 50 | 7.7 kW | Click for more info |
GoPlug – Level 2 Portable EV Charger (32 Amp) Specifications
| Amp rating | 32 Amp |
|---|---|
| Level | Level 2 |
| Type | EV Charging Station |
| Cable Length | 18 Feet (5.4M) |
| Nema | NEMA 14 – 50 |
| Power | 7.7 kW |
| Voltage | 120V – 240V |
| Connector | J1772 |
| Connectivity | WiFi (With Smartphone) |
| IP Rating | IP66 |
| Display | 3 LED Lights |
| Warranty | 3 – Years |
| Features | Interactive Display, Adjustable Current, Remote Control API, Compact & lightweight |
| What’s in the box | Electric Vehicle charging & safety Safety Manual, Charger, Connector |
| Weight | N/A |
| Features | Tethered, Alexa & Google Home, Charge Scheduling |
GoPlug – Level 2 Portable EV Charger (32 Amp) Charging specifications
This is the GoPlug EV Charger, a smart charger (we’ll get to that part later) that can output electric energy to your car at up to 32 Amps. If you’re passionate about EV Chargers, you’ll be able to tell that it’s an OpenEVSE unit with a nicer interface. This is a charging station, so you’ll need to mount it on the wall in your garage.
That being said, you’ll be quite happy with the charging times because by our estimations, this device can charge a standard 50kWH Tesla Model 3 in just 6.5 hours, but this time also applies to the VW ID.4 Pure, the ID.3 Pure or the Renault Zoe. If you own a Hyundai Kona, a Kia Niro or a Mustang Mach E, those should charge in about 9 hours. DISCLAIMER: These are just estimations based on Level 2, 7.7 kW charging times. So it certainly has the ability to add many miles of range to your electric car in a short amount of time.
Now this being a smart charger, it has adjustable current, so you can set the Amperage directly from the smartphone app or web interface. It is also multi-voltage so you can power it from 90V sockets all the way up to 264V, although they market it as 120V – 240V.
GoPlug – Level 2 Portable EV Charger (32 Amp) Cable types and connectors
For some reason, the cable on this home electric vehicle charging station is quite short because it only measures 18 Feet (5.4 meters) and that’s a full 7 feet shorter than the average charger in this price range. Still 5.4 meters is enough to charge your car if it is parked inside your garage and obviously your wall charger will be installed nearby.
You need to plug this EV Charging Station into a NEMA 14-50 wall socket, as far as we’re aware there are no other options for the wall connector and of course at the other end of the cable, you’ll find a standard SAE J1772 charge port as you will on any EV Charging Cable in North America, because that is the standard. The only cars which don’t use that specific port are the Tesla cars but they do come with adapters.
You’ll want to know that the cable is tethered to the charger, so you can’t replace it for another, however there are always extension cords that you can use and this charger makes a good case for going for the extension cord, because it offers these additional smart features that you just don’t get with other longer portable electric chargers that are in its price range.
GoPlug – Level 2 Portable EV Charger (32 Amp) Features
This GoPlug home EV Charger has WiFi connectivity and you can connect to it either using the smartphone app or using its built-in web interface. You can connect to it either through it’s hotspot or you can connect it to your home wifi network. There’s no Alexa integration but the app will let you set the Amperage, monitor the charging rate and charging status, see if there are any faults, know how hot the charger is getting and also how much time has it been since the charging process started and the charging level.
You can also do scheduled charging feature where you set it up to use off-peak electricity late at night and that way you can reduce your charging cost. Now given the current prospects for the future, we could expect prices for electricity to only go up because of the high demand, for example Germany is producing twice as much energy as they did 20 years ago and this is why I think cost-saving features like these are important, because they will save you money every day that you charge.
The Charger is IP66 rated so you can splash it without worrying it will break down, but don’t do it on purpose. It also has a circuit breaker in case things get bad. There are 3 LED lights and a nice LED screen that displays basic information. GoPlug offers this device with a 3-Year Limited Warranty.
