{"id":33864,"date":"2022-10-17T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-17T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=33864"},"modified":"2022-10-17T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-17T12:00:00","slug":"level-1-mobile-ev-cable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=33864","title":{"rendered":"The makers of this Level 1 mobile EV cable want everyone to have smart charging"},"content":{"rendered":"

Palo-Alto, California-based EV charging software provider ev.energy<\/a> and internet of things (IoT) solutions provider Smartenit<\/a>, based in Irvine, Calirfornia, today launched a smart, grid-optimized Level 1 mobile EV cable for drivers who don\u2019t have access to home charging stations.<\/p>\n

This level 1 mobile EV cable is smart<\/h2>\n

Most \u2013 but not all \u2013 EVs come with a mobile charging cord with a standard SAE J1772 charging connector, and it plugs into any 120v, three-pronged outlet. (Teslas no longer come equipped with mobile connectors<\/a>, and the Kia EV6<\/a> doesn\u2019t come with a mobile connector either.)<\/p>\n

Older EV models are also more likely to lack embedded telematics connectivity that allow them to take advantage of utility programs that pay out bill credits, or other financial incentives for charging during grid-optimal times.\u00a0The ev.energy-Smartenit mobile charging cable addresses these issues. <\/p>\n

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This Level 1 charging cable can be plugged into any 120v outlet. A Wi-Fi-connected modem inside the device connects it to the ev.energy app<\/a> that offers EV drivers automatic off-peak charging schedules to minimize charging costs. It also works with several US power utilities to offer EV drivers additional cash back for participating in smart-charging programs. <\/p>\n

For example, this past summer, customers of the United Illuminating Company of Connecticut used ev.energy\u2019s platform to earn $50 per month for charging at grid-optimal times, earning up to $200 cash back.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Electrek\u2019s Take<\/h2>\n

The Level 1 version of this cable retails for $350. (There\u2019s also a Level 2 version available for sale that costs $500.)\u00a0There are plenty of Level 1 EV charging cables on the market that cost less, but this is smart, so it saves users money in the long run. <\/p>\n

Tesla\u2019s mobile connector currently costs $200<\/a>, and you can use the Tesla app to set it to charge during off-peak times. I own Tesla\u2019s mobile connector \u2013 I managed to score one before Tesla stopped including it with the car \u2013 and I use it at home daily to charge my Model 3. I\u2019d be in big trouble without it. I used to use the Level 1 adapter outdoors when I lived in St. Petersburg, Florida. Now we use the Gen 2 NEMA 6-50 adapter in Vermont in our garage. The Tesla mobile smart connector gets the job done with both Level 1 and Level 2 adapters.<\/p>\n

So I wouldn\u2019t need this product as a Tesla driver, but it could prove valuable to someone who wanted to swap their older Level 1 non-smart charging cable for a smart charger in order to save on their home electric bills.<\/p>\n

If someone is charging their EV at their apartment building\u2019s parking lot, I suppose it depends on whether or how they\u2019re billed for using communal electrical outlets. I\u2019d love to hear from apartment dwellers about this \u2013 is it free, or does it cost you in some way to use a communal outlet? Would this product be helpful to you?<\/p>\n

Joseph Vellone<\/a>, ev.energy\u2019s head of North America, told Electrek<\/em> by email what he felt the differentiator is for his company\u2019s mobile EV charger. He replied:<\/p>\n

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It contains a Wi-Fi-connected modem that allows for at-home smart-charging via the ev.energy software platform. That means it will calculate an optimal schedule for the EV driver based on their desired charge level and departure time, while scheduling for the cheapest (off-peak) and lowest-carbon hours based on data ev.energy gets from the driver\u2019s utility.<\/p>\n

If the driver is a customer of a participating utility, they might also benefit from additional cash rebates on their EV charging via the ev.energy mobile app, which the driver uses alongside the charger. For example, EV drivers in Massachusetts benefit from $0.05\/kWh off their off-peak charging via a program run by National Grid.<\/p>\n

This [smart charging cable] ensures that\u00a0all\u00a0<\/em>EV drivers \u2013 not just ones who drive top-end\/newer models, or live in a detached family house with their own private EV charging station \u2013 can enjoy the benefits of greener, cheaper charging.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Do you think this smart mobile EV cable is good value? Would you purchase it, and why or why not? Let us know in the comments down below.<\/p>\n

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