Watch This: Should You Buy The Electrify America HomeStation?
It’s been nearly a year since Electrify America announced that the HomeStation, a 40-amp smart-charging station, would be available through its residential EV charging division, Electrify Home.
Since then, we’ve requested a media loan of a HomeStation so we can do a thorough review of the new EVSE. It took many months, but Electrify Home is finally making a few units available to the media for short-term reviews, and we believe we were one of the first outlets to get one to review.
The HomeStation has generated quite a bit of interest, and we’ve received many requests to review the 2nd-generation residential charging station from Electrify Home. It’s the 2nd generation because, in 2019, Electrify America launched its first residential charging station, but only sold that unit for a little more than a year. It was a 32-amp EVSE and didn’t offer WiFi connectivity or the smart-charging features that the HomeStation has.
The HomeStation can deliver up to 40 amps (9.6 kW) which should deliver between 25 and 35 miles of range per hour of charging to an electric vehicle, depending on how efficient the EV is. However, the HomeStation has adjustable power delivery, and you can derate the output during the initial installation to 32-amps (7.7 kW) or 16-amps (3.8 kW) to match the power you have available at your home.
We put the HomeStation through our Cable deep freeze test and our connector drop test and it passed both, although the cable came away with only an average score for cold weather pliability.
The InsideEVs Ultimate Charging Station Review Series:
We did have a problem with the connector holster, though. It’s a two-piece holster and we couldn’t get the insert to stay attached to the base without replacing the supplies screw with a longer one.
It’s really a poor design in our opinion and we recommend HomeStation owners consider buying an aftermarket connector holster with cable management if they have trouble with the supplied one. There are some good choices available that are priced under $20.00.
Highlighted HomeStation Features:
- Sleek New Design: HomeStation was styled by world-renowned design and engineering firm Italdesign and features a slim black silhouette that lights up blue while actively charging, and green to indicate the readiness of use.
- Ease of Use: The Level 2 charger can be installed indoors or outdoors, and includes a 24-foot charging cable to allow users to easily reach their EV for charging.
- Flexible Installation: The supply power requirements are compatible with most electric dryer power circuits. The HomeStation can be plugged in using a NEMA 14-50 style plug or hardwired by a licensed and qualified electrician.
- Tiered Installation Pricing: Customers choosing to have a professional electrician install their new Level 2 charger can choose among three different installation packages offered by Qmerit to select the one that best fits their installation needs. Custom installation services are also available. Packages begin at $695.
- Adjustable Power: To help limit installation costs and possibly prevent panel upgrades, the charger’s maximum output can be configured during installation for 40 amps, 32 amps, or 16 amps to fit almost any home electrical panel rating.
- Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant Integration: You can access and control the HomeStation from your smart home management systems.
- Customer Support: HomeStation includes a 3-year limited warranty on parts and 24-hour customer service via a dedicated Level 2 charging telephone number.
- Additional Features: 3-Year Warranty, UL Certification, and Energy Star Compliant.
- Charge Any EV: HomeStation uses the North American standard J1772 connector and can charge any EV including Tesla vehicles with a J1772 to Tesla adapter.
The HomsStation received a score of 83 points on our ChargerRater scale and finished up with an overall score of 4.3 stars out of 5. We’ve added it to our list of recommended home charging stations.
It’s a very good charging station, but it’s not without its shortcomings. At $649.00, it’s priced higher than comparable 40-amp smart charging stations like the Enel X Juicebox 40. Once you get over the $600 price threshold, many of the competing charging stations are more powerful and can deliver 48-amps.
Also, the HomeStation’s enclosure is NEMA-3 rated and many competing units are NEMA-4 rated, which provides better protection from driving rain and blowing snow, although we should note the HomeStation is rated for both indoor and outdoor use.
The HomeStation cannot power share between multiple units and also isn’t capable of participating in utility demand response programs, two features that many smart-chargers can do. However, after asking Electrify Home representatives about these features, I was told that they are currently working on adding both features to the HomeStation in the future.
Overall, it’s a very solid unit and we like having the ability to control and monitor all of your charging, both at home and on the road with one app. If you’re in the market for a home charging solution, we suggest you consider checking out the HomeStation – as well as some of the other charging stations we’ve reviewed, before you make your decision.
Source: State Of Charge
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