ChargePoint is one of the top companies in EV charging – from their large network of chargers you can use on the go to their home EV charger, you’ve probably heard about them if you’re an EV driver.
The company sells three charges in its Home Flex line, the Hardwire model and the plug-in NEMA 6-50 (standard three-prong plug) and NEMA 14-50 (heavier four-prong plug), all of which come in two varieties, one for Tesla's proprietary charger input and another for the widely used J1772 alternative.
You'll pay a premium for ChargePoint chargers. The starting price is $549 for the Hardwired model and $599 for the plug-in versions, and both plugs require a dedicated 240 volt circuit. You can find comparable L2 chargers from other manufacturers for $300 or less.
What you get with that ChargePoint premium is an aesthetically futuristic design, a user-friendly app, and adjustable amperage settings so you can match the charge rate to your home's electrical wiring with room to upgrade for faster charging in the future, without having to buy new hardware.
Before diving into ChargePoint EV chargers specifically, it’s important to know the different levels of charging you can do at home and how they vary. EV chargers are also known as EVSEs, which stands for electric vehicle supply equipment.
A Level 1 charger is just using a standard outlet at your home. To do this, you just use a standard 120-volt (V) wall outlet with a J1772 connector. However, this is very slow, only adding approximately 2-5 miles per hour to your range. A ChargePoint Home Flex is a Level 2 charger: the standard for home EV charging. It allows you to charge much more quickly than a Level 1 charger, providing up to 37 miles of range per hour, depending on which EV you own.
ChargePoint’s Home Flex is a Level 2, 240V flexible amperage home EV charger. It comes with a 23-foot charging cable and is easy for an electrician to install indoors or outdoors.
Key features of the ChargePoint Home Flex
Wiring and EV compatibility
The ChargePoint Home Flex line has two different versions of every charger it offers, one in the J1772 design, and another with a Tesla-compatible input. There's no price difference between the two options.
Convenience
You can use the ChargePoint Home Flex with most home electrical systems as long as it has a dedicated 240 volt circuit. It's also waterproof and rated NEMA 3R for outdoor use and you can install it outside via either a hardwired installation or with a weatherproof NEMA receptacle for the plug-in models. The charger has adjustable amperage to meet the needs of the car and work with the house’s existing electrical system.
ChargePoint also offers EV chargers specifically made for apartment and condo complexes, but you'll need to convince your landlord, your property manager, or your co-op board to install them.
If you have two EVs to charge but don’t have enough power for multiple electrical circuits, some systems allow you to share power from one circuit while sufficiently charging your vehicles. ChargePoint doesn't support power sharing, so each Home Flex station will require its own dedicated circuit.
Connectivity
The ChargePoint Home Flex can connect to your home’s WiFi network to receive over-the-air firmware updates, remote diagnostics access, and usage data tracking capabilities.
Warranty
The ChargePoint Home Flex comes with a three-year limited parts equipment warranty, which is pretty standard for home EV chargers.
The ChargePoint Home Flex app
The Home Flex has an app that you can add to your smartphone (either iOs or Google Play) to manage and monitor your EV charging. You can use this app to set up specific times to charge your car when electricity is the cheapest and check charging progress.
Additional ChargePoint Home Flex Features
The ENERGY STAR certification is awarded by the EPA to EV chargers that meet a set energy efficiency guideline when it's not in use. The Home Flex is ENERGY STAR certified, and, complying with these standards, uses 40 percent less energy than other standard chargers when it's in standby mode. According to EPA estimates, efficient EV chargers could save 280 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year, the equivalent of taking 26,000 gas-powered vehicles off the road.
The ChargePoint Home Flex costs $549 for the Hardwire model, and $599 for either plug-in version. The Hardwire will also require you to spend for an electrician, and all of the models might require additional electrical work to ensure you have enough juice to support them. You’ll want a trusted, licensed, and experienced electrician to ensure your charger is correctly installed. According to Qmerit, most standard EV home charger installations cost between $799 and $1,999, depending on the scope of work.
Overall, the ChargePoint Home Flex is a popular option for EV drivers to charge at home. ChargePoint is known as a leader in EV charging, and the company's adjustable amperage settings, its user-friendly app, and its overall energy efficiency are all benefits.
ChargePoint it’s not the cheapest option, so you can trade some of those features for a cheaper charger from another manufacturer. Additionally, if you own or plan to buy more than one EV and EV charger, you’ll need a dedicated circuit to add additional Home Flex stations.
The ChargePoint Home Flex EV home charger can provide approximately 12 to 37 miles of range per hour of charge, with up to 12 kW / 50 A Output, depending on your specific EV’s make and model.
Your ChargePoint Home Flex charger can charge at different speeds depending on a few factors, including:
Your home’s circuit breaker output: higher output means quicker charging.
Energy use: power may be limited at certain times because of other energy use in your home – limited usage equals slower charging
The specific make, model, and options of your EV: bigger batteries will take longer to charge, efficiency varies by EV, and different EVs have different onboard charging capabilities, which will impact the charging speed
The age of your EV’s battery: over time, your battery will degrade, and its discharge rate (battery capacity / number of hours it takes to charge) will decrease
ChargePoint offers a charging calculator for you to estimate your EV’s charging speed.
If you are looking for a fast, adaptable charger that can adjust to your house's energy production, and is extremely efficient, the Home Flex is a good fit for you. Most popular sites like Google, Amazon, and Home Depot showcase excellent customer ratings for the Home Flex (4.6 out of 5 stars), so it’s widely trusted. The supporting mobile app using advanced technology enables you to track when charging is the cheapest and set up charging times.
There’s sometimes a misconception that home EV charging is expensive. However, it’s substantially less expensive in most areas than buying gasoline – especially if you’re using solar to power your charging. Your exact comparison depends on the cost of electricity in your area and the make and model of your EV.
