As more people are switching to electric vehicles, getting a dedicated Level 2 EV charger is worth considering. Not only will your EV charge quicker but you can charge your vehicle whenever you like.
Difference Between Level 1 & 2 EV Chargers
The difference between Level 1 and Level 2 EV charging is that Level 1 is typically the charging cable that comes with most EVs.
These Level 1 chargers would have an end going into your vehicle and the other has a standard wall plug which can be used for a 120V outlet. While it’s easy to plug and charge over a Level 1 charger, the charging time is much longer, you’ll only get around 1-2 kW charging speeds.
This means that charging your EV could take anywhere from 10-12 hours to more than a day or two on a Level 1 charger, depending on your current charge and the size of your EV.
If you step up to a Level 2 charger, you’ll get much faster charging speeds, anywhere from 5-20 kW depending on the type of Level 2 charger you get. One thing to note is that for Level 2 chargers, like the Wallbox Pulsar Plus, you’ll need to have a 240V outlet which is the same kind of outlet that your Dryer would use.
Design & Hardware
For this review, Wallbox sent over their Pulsar Plus 40A Level 2 charger for testing. They also have a model called the Pulsar Plus 48A. The difference between the Pulsar Plus 40A and 48A is that the 48A can provide up to 11.5 kW (48 Amps) charging speeds but it also needs to be hardwired.
Meanwhile, the Pulsar Plus 40A can provide up to 9.6 kW (40 Amps) charging speeds but can either be hardwired or plugged into a NEMA 14-50 240V outlet.
The design of the Pulsar Plus is very similar and minimal and comes in a matte black colour. The length of the charging cable is around 25ft and NEMA Type 4 is rated for watertightness and dust resistance, so if you plan on using the charger outside, you shouldn’t have any issues with it getting wet.
Other specs include Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for activation and also remote connecting via the Wallbox App on Android or iOS. There’s also Google Assistant and Alexa voice control support.
The charger is also Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) capable and uses J1772 which is the EV connector standard that is used in North America.
The Pulsar Plus 40A is available now from the company’s website, Amazon.ca and Best Buy Canada for $924.99 CAD.
If you want to step up to the 48A version, that also can be purchased from the company’s website, Amazon.ca and Best Buy Canada.
Software
To get started using the Pulsar Plus, you’ll need to link your charger with the Wallbox app.
Once you have the Wallbox app, you’ll be asked to make an account. From there, you can add your charger which is done by scanning the QR code on the side of your Pulsar Plus.
After that, the app will check to see if there are any software updates for the charger.
Once your charger is connected to the app, you’ll then be able to adjust the amount of current that the Pulsar Plus is drawing. You can also create a charging schedule, so then when you plug in your vehicle the Pulsar Plus will only charge between those hours.
The app can also show your stats from your charger, so you can see how much energy it’s using. It’ll also let you know when your charging session is complete and reminders to plug in for scheduled charging.
As mentioned earlier, Pulsar Plus has Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support. Then you can ask your voice assistant things like your charger status, start/stop a charging session, lock/unlock your charger, set a charging schedule, and more.
Final Thoughts
Overall the Pulsar Plus is a great Level 2 EV charger that is easy to use and install.
Pros
- Compact design with a long cable
- Good charging speeds
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for app and voice assistant support
- Can be hardwired or plugged into a 240V outlet
Cons
- On the pricier side
- Most features are done only through the app
TheCanadianTechie 