Biden-Harris Administration Files First Round of $2.5 Billion Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Plan
Record snowfall in Utah – more winter adventures on my twin-engine Tesla Model 3 (+ FSD beta update)
Record snowfall in Utah – more winter adventures on my twin-engine Tesla Model 3 (+ FSD beta update)
A few weeks ago, AxFAST sent me their 32 amp portable EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment, or more accurately, the technical term is Electric Vehicle Charger). I was going to test this at home but I have a wiring issue that won’t be fixed anytime soon. So I took the device to a 50 amp base that a small town in my area allows people to use.
Before we get into how it works (very well), let’s take a look at the specs and features.
The device is mainly designed to provide a car with a total power of 6.6 kW. With a full 240 volts (like what you get on your home grid), you can get more power out of it, but many EVs can only put out that much. 6.6kW is common, but some EVs are capable of 7.2kW or even 11kW.
Connecting any vehicle that can draw more than 32 amps to the device will cause no harm as it limits its own safety and only provides the vehicle with the current that the device can safely provide. Similarly, if you have an older electric or hybrid electric vehicle that can only deliver 2.8 or 3.5kW, the unit will only output what the car asks for and pulls from the circuit. Everything happens behind the scenes without requiring you to change any settings.
The only time you might have problems is if you plug the device into some primitive device that can’t draw more than 20 or 30 amps. If this is the case, you either need to tune the car to reduce consumption or upgrade the wiring or else the circuit breaker will trip (or worse). However, if you have a professionally installed NEMA 14-50 plug (good idea), you shouldn’t have any problems.
This EVSE does have some really cool features for portable use. It comes with a carrying bag that will hold the EVSE and its wires (from the plug to the box and from the box to the car) as long as you tighten it properly. It’s a good bag, and if you decide to use it as a portable charger in an emergency, in a RV park, or anywhere with a NEMA 14-50 plug, you shouldn’t have any trouble riding in the back seat of a car.
One cool feature it has is the ability to wrap the power cord around it. I used to have an EVSE that came with my Nissan LEAF and constant voltage on the wires eventually caused it to start having problems. With the ability to fold everything neatly and pack everything into a bag to sit still, the device should last the lifetime of an electric vehicle.
Another great feature of having space to wind the wire is that you can use this EVSE at home and mount it on the wall. It comes with screws for wall mounting next to a NEMA 14-50 plug and a plug that can be wall mounted and hang the end of the charging cord. As you can see in the video above, not only does this give you a professional looking setup, but it also gives you a place to store the power cord safely and keep it on the ground.
Thus, AxFAST 32 amp EVSE can be used for home installation and/or for portable use (hung on the wall between trips, packed in a bag when you leave the house). He is very versatile and plays both roles well.
Like someone on a road trip, I took the device to a local park that had a 50 amp RV dock (with a NEMA 14-50 plug).
Unfolding went very smoothly, everything connected. The device is not too heavy, so the plug will not be stretched or difficult to insert. In this case, the 14-50 plug was close to my car, so it was easy to check. But with a nearly 25-foot cord, even the awkward situation of not being able to park your car next to the plug won’t get in the way of charging.
When I tested it, I got normal charging in the LeafSpy app. Using a Bluetooth OBD II dongle, you can use LeafSpy to connect to your vehicle and see everything from battery status to how much power your air conditioner is using. The LEAF maxes out at 6.6kW, but there is always a loss of around 10%, so 6kW is what you usually see in battery measurements (as LeafSpy does).
When I’m done, I can easily roll up the charging cable, put the device in my bag, and put it all in my car. The first time I did not put everything in place, but when I got home, I found that it was best to put the block with wires wrapped around it in a bag before connecting the NEMA 14-50 and J1772 plug. end in the bag. This will keep everything in order for your next use.
In a few years, we will reach the point where DC fast charging stations are everywhere. The infrastructure bill calls for them to happen every 50 miles, but that’s still a few years away. However, if you get to the charging station and all the kiosks are closed and you don’t make it to the next kiosk, you’re in trouble.
The choice may be limited, especially in rural areas. Plugging into a regular wall outlet only increases your speed by 4 miles per hour, so it can take more than a day in some cases to get to your next stop. If you’re lucky, there might be a hotel or business that offers Tier 2 fees, but if you’re unlucky, your only remaining option might be the caravan park you found on Plugshare.
While not all parks are suitable for charging and recharging electric vehicles, many are great for this and won’t charge you a lot for electricity. However, in the RV park it is BYOEVSE (bring your own EVSE). Having one of these in your car can determine if there’s a decent option in an emergency.
Jennifer Sensiba is an accomplished car enthusiast, author and photographer. She grew up in a transmission shop and from the age of 16 experimented with car efficiency and drove a Pontiac Fiero. She loves to get off the beaten path in her Bolt EAV and any other electric car she can drive or drive with her wife and kids. You can find her on Twitter here, Facebook here and YouTube here.
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