[Shef]

I've ordered my iX50 with delivery expected in March/April. I live in Canada where we can get to -25C at night, sometimes colder, in the dead of winter. Most charging will be done overnight in my garage but occasionally I may have to charge outside.

What home EV charger do people recommend for the iX? Is the BMW Wall Box worth it or should I go with a different, less expensive brand? Is there any true value in purchasing a 'smart' charger?

Thanks!

[npa201]

For those in the EV world (i'm a noob here), I too am interested in this. Also curious if the Tesla Wall Connector can be used with an adaptor and would that be an inferior option to some of the 3rd party options out there (for charging the IX). I believe the Tesla wall connector is a 48 amp?

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by Shef

I've ordered my iX50 with delivery expected in March/April. I live in Canada where we can get to -25C at night, sometimes colder, in the dead of winter. Most charging will be done overnight in my garage but occasionally I may have to charge outside.

What home EV charger do people recommend for the iX? Is the BMW Wall Box worth it or should I go with a different, less expensive brand? Is there any true value in purchasing a 'smart' charger?

Thanks!

The answer of course depends on several factors. I think they are in 4 main groups:

1)Smart features
2)build quality/usability
3)cold weather performance
4)charging speed


1)If you care about the "smart" features, want to schedule your charging for off hours, want to connect more than one EVSE ont he same circuit and want them to cooperate without overloading the circuit or use a utility that can actually use some of the features like them controlling when your car charges to prevent overstressing their grid, etc, then these will be more important to you.
I haven't personally looked at any of these features in details because I personally have no use for them. One thing to note, NONE of the EVSEs out there will be able to show you the state of charge of your car. They can tell you how much power was transferred, whether it is charging or not but cannot tell you your car is at 73% nor how long it will need to finish.


2)For the quality, I would look at things like quality of the holster, the cable, and general robustness of the unit. This is more important if you will place the unit outdoors. One thing I noted in watching review is how easy it is to holster the cable since you will be doing this all the time. Some are designed in a way to make that idiot proof and without taking much care to align things properly, others require you to carefully align the pistol end to holster it.

3)Since you are in Canada, if your EVSE will be installed outdoors, this is very important. Most units are rated for outdoor use and are NEMA 3 rated. Some are NEMA 4 which is better. I would look for EVSEs that are rated to work in very cold conditions. Some I found are rated to work in -40 degree weather. Others are not rated for such cold and can just not work if the unit gets colder than like -20C. If you put the main unit in the garage and maybe just have the cable outside then this is less important for you.

Also, some cables are very hard to manipulate in the cold. If it will be outdoors, you should look for one with a cable that stays pliable even when frozen.

4)Some chargers can go up to 11kW, others 7 or slower. For me this is not as important since it will do it overnight, but you may want to get the fastest you can to make it more futureproof.


With all this said, as of right now, I personally am leaning towards the FLO home G5. https://store.en.flo.com/products/flo-home-g5 I don't need or care about any of the smart features, and I have no choice but to install it outside so cold weather performance was very important to me. It is one of the easiest to holster and has a very pliable cable for winter. I like how it looks too although i prefer the look/color of their more expensive "smart" version the X5 https://store.en.flo.com/products/flo-home-x5 but don't need the extra features. I might pay the extra just for the looks.

Tom Moloughney has a youtube channel that has done several reviews and goes into a lot of detail. They are long videos and I would suggest watching them at 2x speed. Here is a link to his playlist and you can see how some of them did in a comparison done by a french/Quebec based consumer protection agency here.

I think the BMW wallbox was not rated for very cold weather so I dropped it from my list.

[WhereItsAt]

We use a Chargepoint EVSE that can charge at 50amps as long as the line amperage is 60 amps (50 with 60, 40 with 50, approximately 80% of supplied amperage from the breaker box/panel). To see what the vehicle status is, the BMW app will allow this as well as track usage and can control charging times. The Chargepoint will not tell you the state of charge, but can (when connected to wifi) track usage - not by vehicle - in kw and cost if your provider allows it. We simply use the BMW app and manually calculate cost based on our electrical bill summary for giggles.

What amperage does the BMW box work at? For $635 (with the cable manager) I think it's a good buy - though not yet available?

[NiallG]

We had a Wallbox Pulsar Plus installed just before picking up our iX at Xmas. This is giving us 11kW (3 Phase) charging - which is approx 5hrs for a full charge if not just topping up. Majority of cost for us was the install side (about 60% of cost) - although we had 3 phase already at our house, the location was about 20mtrs from the fuse box & they needed additional switch inside the fuse box too.

It's working great so far - it's one of the much lower cost 'smart' chargers as majority of smart stuff is done via cloud based website (with an app) - so you aren't paying for a fancy UX on the unit itself. As above, you can see when charging is finished via App/lights on unit but using the BMW App will give you the full status including % done and estimated time (which is super accurate).

You only really need something more complex than this if you are integrating it with Solar (and want to control only excess generated power to be used / or similar from a battery) or you want bidirectional capabilities & that's supported in your country.

They are about to release an update to the Pulsar Plus (similarly priced) in next few months over here which I think will possibly do both of the above. Install prices jumps a fair bit though if needing solar hookup as a lot more electrical bits are needed there.

If looking at one of these only suggestion would be to get an additional metal hook to wrap the cable around (if tethered cable used) - currently we wrap it around the wallbox itself but that's a little untidy and clumsy.

[sward]

I'm getting a Charge Amps Halo installed next week. It's designed in Sweden and I don't know the availability in different markets.

It connects to their cloud service and I have an app to start/ stop charging and also to get statistics. But the main feature for me is a load balancer that is installed at the meter and sends detailed info about power usage in the house and the box can use that info to adjust power consumption by the box so I don't blow any fuses when I start the dishwasher.

[NordicX3]

Originally Posted by sward

I'm getting a Charge Amps Halo installed next week. It's designed in Sweden and I don't know the availability in different markets.

It connects to their cloud service and I have an app to start/ stop charging and also to get statistics. But the main feature for me is a load balancer that is installed at the meter and sends detailed info about power usage in the house and the box can use that info to adjust power consumption by the box so I don't blow any fuses when I start the dishwasher.

I have had the Charge Amps Halo for about 2 years now and I’m very happy with it. It is also quite small and not as ugly as many of the chargers available here.

[MrScott]

I bought the ChargePoint Home Flex 50amp EVSE. Obviously haven't used it yet with the iX but will see how it goes when the iX is delivered spring/summer. I picked this charger because it had good reviews and will do 11kwh when on a circuit that will supply 50amp.

[patrobX5]

I really wish the charging plug would be on the driver side because the standard 25ft cable will not be long enough to reach the back of the car (can only park on the right side of the garage and backing up is not an option since might be hard to get out lol)

Am I able to order longer charging cable like 35 ft?

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by npa201

For those in the EV world (i'm a noob here), I too am interested in this. Also curious if the Tesla Wall Connector can be used with an adaptor and would that be an inferior option to some of the 3rd party options out there (for charging the IX). I believe the Tesla wall connector is a 48 amp?

Yes, you absolutely can do this. In fact, the Tesla wall connector is a great option as if you have multiple of these on one circuit (for future EV / PHEV) they can all talk and load share. Therefore you can plug in multiple EV's to charge and they will distribute the load without overloading the circuit and tripping the breaker.

A friend of mine has had multiple Teslas, but now has a Tesla, Taycan and a Cayenne EHybird. He charges them all from his 4 Tesla Wall connectors.

Clipper Creek is pretty much the gold standard for EVSE's if you want to get something with a J1772 plug and don't already have a Tesla wall charger.

Keep in mind the Tesla - J1772 adapter (Tesla Tap) may have an amperage rating below what a dedicated J1772 equipped EVSE would have so there are drawbacks. If you don't already have a Tesla wallbox, I'd get something like this instead.

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by patrobX5

I really wish the charging plug would be on the driver side because the standard 25ft cable will not be long enough to reach the back of the car (can only park on the right side of the garage and backing up is not an option since might be hard to get out lol)

Am I able to order longer charging cable like 35 ft?

25' is the longest cable that meets electrical code at least in the US, but maybe in Canada too. I doubt any reputable vendor will sell their EVSE with a cable longer than that but you never know. Your best option would be to install the EVSE in a location that would work with a 25' cable, even if that means putting it outside when you'd rather not.

With that being said, I have seen J1772 extension cables sold on amazon. I would make sure to properly research them before using one given that we are talking about pushing a lot of current through these cables and doing it for hours at a time and on a regular basis. You may need to use less current when using one as the extension may not be rated for the same current as the original cable but maybe the EVSE will not realize it and allow you to push more than what the extension can handle and cause a fire or something. I'd suggest talking to a specialist and/or electrician about it and don't take chances with this.

[patrobX5]

Originally Posted by ggalanis

25' is the longest cable that meets electrical code at least in the US, but maybe in Canada too. I doubt any reputable vendor will sell their EVSE with a cable longer than that but you never know. Your best option would be to install the EVSE in a location that would work with a 25' cable, even if that means putting it outside when you'd rather not.

With that being said, I have seen J1772 extension cables sold on amazon. I would make sure to properly research them before using one given that we are talking about pushing a lot of current through these cables and doing it for hours at a time and on a regular basis. You may need to use less current when using one as the extension may not be rated for the same current as the original cable but maybe the EVSE will not realize it and allow you to push more than what the extension can handle and cause a fire or something. I'd suggest talking to a specialist and/or electrician about it and don't take chances with this.

Thanks, yes I understand what you mean and of course I will do my research. The plug is already installed in front of the car and works perfectly with my XC90 T8. I don't know what BMW was thinking putting the charging plug on the back of the car let alone on passenger side

Found this as an alternative https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08QRCCP26/ref=emc_b_5_t?th=1

[WhereItsAt]

That's the one we have for our daughters i3. It's overkill, but has worked as advertised and she doesnt have any issue manipulating the the cable or handle. We placed it between two garage doors for easier use. The slim evse and flexible cable stays out of the way. For 50amps, you will need to have it hardwired and on a 60amp service. Otherwise it will operate at a true ~40amps on a 50amp service.

Originally Posted by MrScott

I bought the ChargePoint Home Flex 50amp EVSE. Obviously haven't used it yet with the iX but will see how it goes when the iX is delivered spring/summer. I picked this charger because it had good reviews and will do 11kwh when on a circuit that will supply 50amp.

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by patrobX5

Thanks, yes I understand what you mean and of course I will do my research. The plug is already installed in front of the car and works perfectly with my XC90 T8. I don't know what BMW was thinking putting the charging plug on the back of the car let alone on passenger side

it is there cause that's where they usually have the gas tank door on their other cars. It is probably ok for most people.

Originally Posted by patrobX5

Found this as an alternative https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08QRCCP26/ref=emc_b_5_t?th=1

I would not give this company serious money for a product to be used with my $100k car. Their main company website is a shopify page; that's fine for a mom and pop shop, not for a bigger/serious company. The attached pics are of their head office location.... My guess is they are rebranding cheap garbage that they import, but I am not going to look into it any deeper than that. Just be careful.

Cheers!

[nosnoop]

Originally Posted by ggalanis

I would not give this company serious money for a product to be used with my $100k car. Their main company website is a shopify page; that's fine for a mom and pop shop, not for a bigger/serious company. The attached pics are of their head office location.... My guess is they are rebranding cheap garbage that they import, but I am not going to look into it any deeper than that. Just be careful.

What concerns me more is the lack of certification from one of the reviews. For this type of high voltage/amp appliance, UL or CSA or ETL listing is a must. The review mentioned "CE" which is just a compliance label and nothing to do with certification.

And I would recommend the same for any electrical appliance you buy for your home. Most appliance you buy from local stores/big stores, Walmart, Home Depot, Costco etc have proper certification. But those you buy from Amazon or AliExpress may be cheap imports and may have no certification. It's not worth the risk for saving a few bucks.

[patrobX5]

Originally Posted by ggalanis

it is there cause that's where they usually have the gas tank door on their other cars. It is probably ok for most people.

I would not give this company serious money for a product to be used with my $100k car. Their main company website is a shopify page; that's fine for a mom and pop shop, not for a bigger/serious company. The attached pics are of their head office location.... My guess is they are rebranding cheap garbage that they import, but I am not going to look into it any deeper than that. Just be careful.

Cheers!

lol thanks for the pics, not saying that's the one I would buy, was just an example.

And regarding your gas tank door location theory, how do you explain this on the X5 45e? That's what I'm talking about, that's where the charging port should be ideally located & most convenient IMO.

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by patrobX5

And regarding your gas tank door location theory, how do you explain this on the X5 45e? That's what I'm talking about, that's where the charging port should be ideally located & most convenient IMO.

Maybe the 45E has it there because it already has a gas tank door at the rear.

I am not saying that I agree with its placement. Most people probably pull in to their driveway front first and that being the case, I agree that it makes more sense to have it in the front of the car like the X5 45E does than in the rear. For my specific situation it would be better in front too. It could be for packaging reasons or could be simply for styling reasons since most people are used to having that door there in the rear.

[patrobX5]

Originally Posted by ggalanis

Maybe the 45E has it there because it already has a gas tank door at the rear.

I am not saying that I agree with its placement. Most people probably pull in to their driveway front first and that being the case, I agree that it makes more sense to have it in the front of the car like the X5 45E does than in the rear. For my specific situation it would be better in front too. It could be for packaging reasons or could be simply for styling reasons since most people are used to having that door there in the rear.

Yeah who knows what they were thinking haha. Either way if I decide to go with the iX50 next year when my lease ends (highly likely depending what Volvo comes out with ) then I'll make it work somehow

[Seaford]

Originally Posted by patrobX5

I really wish the charging plug would be on the driver side because the standard 25ft cable will not be long enough to reach the back of the car (can only park on the right side of the garage and backing up is not an option since might be hard to get out lol)

Am I able to order longer charging cable like 35 ft?

Sounds like you put the charger in the wrong place!

[patrobX5]

Originally Posted by Andybird

Sounds like you put the charger in the wrong place!

Here's a pic of my car parked, where should I have installed it The charging cable is right in front of the car on the wall (you can see the cable hanging slightly haha) I think it's installed in the perfect spot for my current car. Maybe BMW should have done what Audi did and put the charging port on both sides

[Rickardg]

Originally Posted by patrobX5

Here's a pic of my car parked, where should I have installed it The charging cable is right in front of the car on the wall (you can see the cable hanging slightly haha) I think it's installed in the perfect spot for my current car. Maybe BMW should have done what Audi did and put the charging port on both sides

The easyest solution would be to reverese the car into the garage
They have a quite good parking assistance system so maybe its actually the way to do it?

[patrobX5]

Originally Posted by Rickardg

The easyest solution would be to reverese the car into the garage
They have a quite good parking assistance system so maybe its actually the way to do it?

Yes that's a possibility but will be very tight to open the door and get out unless it can park itself haha