Autel MaxiCharger Review: Great first effort, things to consider
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 ($459). 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 or screws 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.
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 4 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 allow this same charger to hit 50A, or almost 12kW, of charging.
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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Florida’s State Parks are stepping up their environmental and operational game, introducing a large fleet of powerful electric bikes to support park ranger patrols.
The Florida State Parks Foundation, under its sustainability-focused Greener Initiative, recently announced the expansion of e‑bike units across the state’s parks system. The fleet of Velotric Nomad e-bikes, each equipped with 750‑watt motors and with a claimed 65‑mile range, can offer a substantial 500‑lb payload capacity. They also feature 4″ wide fat tires optimized for riding on rough paths or off-road trails, making them ideal for park ranger patrols.
These e‑bikes are now being distributed to multiple locations throughout Florida, including Fort Clinch, Olustee Battlefield Historic, Rainbow Springs, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, and Suwannee River State Park.
According to Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Foundation, the overwhelming success of the first wave of e‑bikes prompted swift expansion. “The Greener Initiative has done incredible things to reduce our environmental footprint,” she noted, adding that it’s “even more amazing when Greener projects align with resources that support our rangers.”
These additions bring the statewide fleet to 50 e‑bikes, funded via sales from the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate. Starting in 2023, the Greener Initiative has rolled out a variety of efforts to make Florida’s parks cleaner and more efficient, including slashing emissions, cutting down on waste, lowering energy consumption, and enhancing the overall experience for visitors.
Electrek’s Take
I love this, and it’s a great example of how e-bikes are perfect for so many different patrol uses among park rangers, police officers, security companies, and other types of official fleet usage.
We’re seeing this more and more, and the reason is obvious: It works. E-bikes are a lot cheaper than alternatives like UTVs, golf carts, or “real” vehicles like cars and trucks. They require significantly less maintenance, and they’re a lot more fun too.
I just hope they mount some extra water bottle holders. I often ride in Florida, and in the summer, I can drink a gallon a day… on an electric bike!
Via: WCJB
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Lucid’s most adventurous vehicle has just arrived. The Lucid Gravity can drive 450 miles on a single charge, comfortably fits seven, and is faster than the average sports car. Lucid promises the new X concept takes the electric family hauler to a new level.
Meet the Lucid Gravity X adventure-ready EV SUV
Lucid has been hyping the new model as “a bold new concept of electric exploration,” describing it as its most adventurous vehicle to date.
At Monterey Car Week on Friday, we finally got our first look at Lucid’s stunning new Gravity X concept. Based on the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring, which features an impressive up to 450 miles of EPA-estimated range, AWD, and a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.4 secs, the X is designed to take you even further.
As Lucid put it, the X “advances this exceptional foundation, exploring what it would be like to push the limits further.
The concept features a new look, lifted ride height, and added off-road elements for all on and off-road adventures. Lucid fine-tuned the front and rear ends to improve approach and departure angles. It also slapped all-terrain tires, protective skid plates, and tow hooks on it, just in case.
Like we first saw in the teaser, the X concept is equipped with an integrated crossbar with LED lights and a roof box.
Lucid says every detail on the new concept was intentional, from the Astral Drift satin paint to the topographical references to Big Spur and Death Valley on the hood.
The interior features upgrades, including premium leather seats, high-performance floor mats, and a microsuede steering wheel.
According to Lucid, the Gravity X, pronounced Gravity Cross, is “ready to go anywhere. Take on everything. And compromise nothing.”
Although it’s just a concept for now, the X gives us a glimpse into a future off-road Gravity trim. As we mentioned earlier this week, Lucid could be preparing to introduce a rugged new variant to compete with Rivian’s California Dune Edition R1S and R1T models.
What do you think of the rugged Gravity X Concept? Should Lucid bring it to life? It wouldn’t be surprising to see a new variant hit the market soon.
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This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bikes from Heybike, the Priority Skyline launch, Segway’s new 50 MPH electric scooter, a Bafang hub motor with automatic shifting, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):
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