Comparative guide to home charging stations: how to choose?

It’s no secret that electric cars are all the rage. And electric cars mean charging stations. I’m sure you’ll agree, one can’t go without the other. With the electric car craze, it goes without saying that the home charging station market is also booming, and that the range of charging stations on offer is becoming increasingly diversified. This brings us to the subject we’d like to discuss with you: choosing a home charging station.

With more and more home charging stations on the market, it’s sometimes hard to know which one to choose, which is the best and most appropriate for your needs.

As a company specializing in this field, we believe we’re in a good position to help! That’s why we’ve put together a comparative guide outlining the features of 9 popular home charging stations that we carry in our store. Happy reading!

WHY RELY ON BEQ TECHNOLOGY’S EXPERTISE?

Over the years, BEQ Technology has become THE reference for the media when it comes to questions about charging stations. Media outlets of all kinds turn to us for accurate, relevant information to demystify the use, operation and performance of charging stations. We’ve appeared on numerous television programs, and we’re always happy to offer our expertise.

FOR AN INFORMED DECISION

We have the expertise and experience to evaluate and regularly update a comparison chart of home charging stations. This helps our customers understand the advantages and disadvantages of each model, so they can make an informed decision.

HOW ARE HOME CHARGING STATIONS EVALUATED, AND WHAT CRITERIA ARE USED?

To date, we’ve had the opportunity to evaluate over 20 residential charging stations.

The evaluation is based on 240-volt, 30- to 50-amp residential EV charging stations sold in Quebec and Canada. It is also based on the opinions of over 50 certified installers belonging to the BEQ Technology network across Canada, as well as on the opinions of over 25,000 customers.

11 IMPORTANT ELEMENTS TO CONSIDER

In addition to the charging station’s purely physical criteria, here are 11 important elements we consider when evaluating a new product:

After-sales service is crucial for any company, and it’s the main basis for our charging station comparison. When a customer buys a charging station from us, we send them a short survey to find out their opinion of our services. These automatic surveys are very important to us, enabling us to improve our services and find out what’s important to customers. By visiting customers and talking to them to understand their needs, we gather valuable information that enables us to improve our offers and services. The following 10 elements are highly valued by BEQ Technology customers, and help us to determine whether a charging station meets our strict evaluation criteria.

1) Warranty management and fast processing

While all charging station manufacturers offer a warranty on their products (usually 3 years on parts), BEQ offers an additional warranty to its customers. When evaluating a charging station, we keep this in mind, because we know that at some point, you may need to have your product warranty honored, and as quickly as possible. We believe that warranty management and the rapid processing of your claim are paramount, because in the event of a breakdown, it’s imperative to react quickly so that you can get on with your business – going to work, going to the grocery store, getting around whenever you please – without worrying about whether or not you’ll be able to recharge your vehicle.

At BEQ Technology, we offer an additional warranty, and in the event of a breakdown, we’ll provide you with a replacement charging station while your product is being repaired, so you’re never out of pocket!

2) Service in more than one language

Quebec is a multi-ethnic province, and although French is the official language, we all know that the use of English is increasingly common. What’s more, the rest of Canada is predominantly English-speaking, so offering service in the two most widely spoken languages has become a necessity. A company offering service in just one language is taking a big risk, and we believe it’s important to adapt to customers’ needs.

3) Online chat service

It’s 7:45pm on a Wednesday evening and you’re shopping online for a home charging station. Chances are, you’ve got one or more questions you’d like answered before you go ahead and buy your new charging station. That’s why we think it’s important that the company you do business with offers an online chat service, at any time of day or night. We take this into consideration when evaluating kiosks, because customer service comes first for us, and we appreciate it when it does elsewhere too.

4) Power management functionality

As we all know, most households have 2 cars… but when these become electric, we need to plan for the power required to power them. That’s why energy management is so interesting, to continue to be able to use energy-hungry appliances (like the spa and heated pool) and add the power consumption of additional cars.  Power sharing allows you to combine several identical terminals on the same circuit, but an additional level of management would be to monitor the entire system to avoid overconsumption and tripping of the main circuit breaker, leaving you in complete darkness. Depending on your needs, it’s important to make sure that the bollard you choose matches your requirements: for example, if you have two EVs, a smart charging station with power-sharing capability could be a decisive factor in your decision.

5) Value for money

As the cost of living continues to rise, and technology continues to evolve, we believe it’s important to offer products that strike the right balance. Whatever the customer’s budget, we are always committed to offering the best value for money.

6) Efficiency in Quebec and Canadian winters

How do the terminal and its power cable react to temperatures as low as -40°C? Some cables do not react well; they are more rigid, making connection and storage more complex and less pleasant. The casing and components of some charging stations are also fragile, and tend to break easily. Some foreign manufacturers do not take into account the realities of the countries in which they sell their products. As a result, the charging stations and its components are not adapted, as we can see in our Quebec winters. Because our province is so cold, many charging stations of foreign origin don’t stand up well to our climatic conditions. This is an important point to consider when shopping for a home charging station.

7) Ease of installation

How easy is it for the installer to install the charging station on the wall and connect it to the electrical circuit? Some manufacturers haven’t necessarily thought about this aspect, which could complicate installation and thus increase the installation bill. We think this is an important consideration, because nobody likes to complicate their life. In this point, we take into account a multitude of elements, including: are there too many screws? Is it difficult to hook? Is the connector difficult to access? These are all important questions that help us determine whether the product meets our criteria.

8) Manufacturer’s application (if applicable)

For models with their own application, we looked at ease of use, configuration, diversity of functions and controls, as well as the quality, clarity and intuitiveness of the platform.

Note: we have not included this criteria in our overall rating.

9) Waterproof

We watered the terminals to simulate an hour of heavy rain. After opening the casings, some marks detected the presence of water inside. We also noted the presence or absence of a sealing gasket.

10) Component quality

The quality of the materials and their assembly are important factors in choosing a charging station… you NEED your recharge to get to work… you need to be able to rely on it EVERY day. Good quality components will give you peace of mind. This is essential to the quality and durability of the product, since the material used in its design determines how long it will last. For example, is your charging station’s cover made of plastic or aluminum? Does it have a screen, and if so, is it a color HD screen? Is it a touch screen? What about the stand? Is it removable or integrated? Is it fragile or does it look sturdy?

11) Customer service in general

A company’s customer service is undoubtedly one of the most important elements to consider when shopping. There are several points to consider in this section. First of all, how big is the team? Is there someone available to get back to you within a reasonable time? Is there an emergency number you can call at any time? Does the company offer a maintenance and repair service, as well as follow-up when you make a request? If you need to have your home charging station repaired, does the company honor the warranty, or do you have to make your own arrangements with the manufacturer? Is a temporary replacement available if yours breaks down? These are all questions you need to be able to answer with confidence, because your peace of mind depends on it.

At BEQ Technology, we’re proud to offer a turnkey service. That means we’re there for you, every time. We pride ourselves on offering the best possible customer service, to best meet our customers’ needs. We know that some home charging station companies offer questionable customer service, as we ourselves sometimes have to deal with them. We’re well aware of the arduous, complex and often frustrating process involved. That’s why we decided to manufacture our own products, eliminating the middleman between us and our customers.

A GROWING MARKET

In a constantly evolving environment with smart technology, new products and new manufacturers, we strive to offer our customers charging stations that meet the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Every charging station offered by BEQ Technology undergoes rigorous testing and a comprehensive evaluation. We believe in our products, and we’re proud to sell you quality. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we make it our duty to meet and exceed your expectations. Our experts are here to help, and we’re always happy to help electrify your everyday life with the best products.

We hope you find this home charging station comparison useful!

Thank you for being part of the change with us!