Autel, a Chinese company long known for making solid automotive supplies and diagnostic tools (and drones) recently jumped into the residential EV charger market with its MaxiCharger (currently $458). As an auto company with technology in its DNA, we hoped to see some innovation. And we did – but not where we expected.
Like most EV chargers, Autel’s MaxiCharger comes in a big heavy cardboard box. Autel’s internal packaging is sadly not biodegradable but uses reusable velcro straps holding the wiring in place. It comes fully assembled, so you don’t have to connect cables like with other EV chargers.
Installing Autel MaxiCharger
Installing the MaxiCharger is incredibly straightforward. You simply put the metal plate on the wall where you want the charger, drill two holes and put in some screws. Obviously, you’ll want to find the wood studs behind drywall or use a masonry bit if drilling into cinderblocks/bricks or similar. Once the plate is on the wall, you simply hang the charging unit on the plate, and it locks in pretty solidly. The flipside to the easy install is that it is also relatively easy to steal if located outside.
Note, the NEMA 14-50/ 6-50 cable is (too damn) short at just over one-foot long, and it’s also stiff, so make sure it has room to make it to the plug. Also, the charger plug is oriented so that the charger is above the plug, or you can very tightly curve the cable and locate the box directly to the right of the plug. A longer, more flexible plug cable would provide more mounting options here. I think the Enel Juicebox does this a little better.
Once installed, plug in and download the Android or iOS app. It will ask for your email and phone number and then a QR code and pin, which is in the paper manual on a sticker. That last bit is more of a scavenger hunt than I’d like, but it worked the first time. (Note: The charger will work without the app being set up, so if you are just looking for a dumb charger, it is plug-and-play.)
The app is pretty solid and gives a good readout of charging sessions as well as the ability to stop and start charges. It also allows Siri and Alexa to initiate and stop charging. One really neat app tab allows you to suggest a new feature and vote on others. You can vote on each feature, and the engineers give a status on these plans. Everyone should do this!
Using the Autel MaxiCharge
I live in ConEdison-land, where I can get a $.10/kWh rebate on my charging so long as I only charge between midnight and 8 a.m. I have this set up on both my Tesla and my Chevy Bolt, but I could also easily set this up on the Autel MaxiCharger.
After that, the charger is literally plug-and-play. The long 25-foot cable is nice but not terribly flexible, which is made even more rigid by the cold. In my New York April testing, which saw a few nights drop into freezing, it never was more than a little annoyance, however.
Update: Autel tells me that an upgraded flexible cable is on the way.
I consistently saw a 40A draw and never had any dropouts. The charger head feels very high quality and is easy to insert and remove. This feels like it will easily outlast its three-year warranty.
I didn’t have an opportunity to try the RFID charging or try connecting via Bluetooth, but I imagine these will be super important for some users who live in multifamily-charging scenarios or places without Wi-Fi.
Autel Notes that these chargers are incredibly durable with NEMA 4X protection, allowing them to be installed inside the garage or out.
The Nema 14-50 plug cable can be swapped out for a hardwired connection, which will also work in reverse for the hard-wired 50A version.
In addition, Autel has a MaxiCharger DC V2X product coming out soon, which promises faster DC fast charging and bidirectional power flow, which is something we’ve been waiting for desperately.
Things I love about the Autel MaxiCharger:
- $459 price is reasonable for a high-quality product and significantly lower than the big players like Juicebox and ChargePoint. The most important thing here might be that Autel is pushing prices down for high-quality EV chargers.
- App has solid features and the ability to do RFID charging, which will be big for multifamily dwellings.
- Metal J1772 plug is super durable (but the plastic button could be prone to breaking).
- Box is attractive, and plug option on charger and off is nice.
- Cable is 25 feet long.
- Three-year warranty and phone tech support and ability to repair parts is a bonus.
Things that could be improved:
- Stiff cabling is comically inflexible in the cold, and even the Nema 14-50 cable is overly stiff on install. That could make every charge, particularly in the winter, a little harder than it needs to be.
- Display screen could use better UX, and ring around charger could be lighted (but it is reflective, which will help in low light).
Overall, I can certainly recommend Autel’s $459 MaxiCharger for those looking to install a good-looking, high-quality, reasonably-priced charger with great features for installation inside a garage or outside.
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