Are you looking for the best Audi e-tron charger for home charging? You are in the right place, we are experts and geeks in EV charging who researched, bought, installed, tested, and monitored the Audi e-tron charger and in this article, we will rank them based on their costs, power ratings, charging cable, ease of installation, and use.
The Audi e-tron is one of the best-selling Audi electric vehicles in the world, and also here in the United States, Lovers of German cars looking for an electric vehicle opt for the Audi e-tron due to its versatility when it comes to charging, the Audi e-tron can be charged with a Level 1 EV charger, Level 2 EV charger or a Level 3 EV charger.
With so many options to choose from, Audi e-tron owners looking for the best Audi e-tron charger for home charging are confused about which home EV charger is the right fit for their vehicle and lifestyle, this guide will provide a comprehensive guide on the best Audi e-tron charger to help you make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
- Summary of the Best Audi e-tron Charger
- Best Audi e-tron Charger
- How We Picked and Tested Audi-Etron Chargers
- Audi e-tron Level 2 Charger Installation.
- Daily Travel Distance with Audi e-tron Level 2 Charger
- Conclusions.
Summary of the Best Audi e-tron Charger
The Best Audi e-tron Charger for Home Installation.
JuiceBox 32 Smart (EV) Charger
Best Seller Audi e-tron Charger
Tesla Universal Wall Connector
Most Reliable Audi e-tron Charger
Enphase HCS-40 Level 2 EV Charger
Best Budget Audi e-tron Charger
BougeRV Level 2 EV Charger
Best Audi e-tron Charger
The Best Audi e-tron Charger for Home Installation.
JuiceBox 32 Smart (EV) Charger
The JuiceBox 32 smart EV charger is our top-rated choice for Audi e-tron owners, the charger supports 32 amperes and delivers 7.7 kW making it ideal for installation in standard 120/240V home electrical panels, it also offers smart features connecting with both the home energy management system using Alexa and works perfectly with the Audi e-tron Charging System Connect.
The JuiceBox 32 Smart (EV) Charger is ideal for indoor and outdoor home installation. It includes a built-in cable rack and security lock, is UL-listed, and ENERGY STAR-certified. Plus, it comes with a 3-year limited warranty for typical residential use.
Other Good Audi e-tron Chargers
Best Seller Audi e-tron Charger
Tesla Universal Wall Connector
The Tesla Universal wall connector is one of the best seller Level 2 EV chargers in the market today, we added it to our list since it is compatible with the Audi e-tron, and offers smart EV charging features by connecting to the home energy management system and the Audi e-tron Charging System Connect since its an OCPP compliant charger.
Most Reliable Audi e-tron Charger
Enphase HCS-40 Level 2 EV Charger
The Enphase HCS-40 Level 2 EV charger is one of the popular Level 2 EV chargers that are made in America, the chargers are reliable and can withstand heavy abuse through extreme temperatures and traffic, making them ideal for indoor and outdoor installation, however, they make perfect outdoor home EV chargers due to their fully sealed NEMA 4 enclosure that keeps elements away that can damage the EV charger.
Best Budget Audi e-tron Charger
BougeRV Level 2 EV Charger
If you are looking for a budget-friendly Audi e-tron charger that will hold on before purchasing your main Audi e-tron EV charger, or before installation of your Audi e-tron EV charger, or any other reason you might want a temporary EV charger to charge your Audi e-tron, we recommend the BougeRV Level 2 EV charger which is the most budget-friendly Audi e-tron charger in our list.
How We Picked and Tested Audi-Etron Chargers
Charging Method
When it comes to home charging your Audi e-tron, there are only three two types of charging Levels you can use, Level 1 EV chargers, or use Level 2 EV chargers, when it comes to Level 2 EV chargers you can use 3.7kW Level 2 EV charger, 7kW Level 2 EV charger or a 22kW Level 2 EV charger. Level 3 EV chargers are not commonly used for home EV charging so we left that option out.
Below is a table summarizing the charging methods for you, for easier understanding:
| EV Charger Level | Power Ratings | Type of Connector | Charging Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 EV Charger | 1.3 kW – 2.4 kW | Mennekes Connector | 31 Hours |
| Level 2 EV Charger | 3.7kW | Mennekes Connector | 19 Hours |
| Level 2 EV Charger | 7kW | Mennekes Connector | 10 Hours |
| Level 2 EV Charger | 22kW | Mennekes Connector | 7 Hours |
| Level 3 EV Charger (Not used in this review) | 50kW | Rapid CCS Connector | 60 Minutes |
| Level 3 EV Charger (Not used in this review) | 120kW | Rapid CCS Connector | 30 Minutes |
Level 1 Charging Station for Audi e-tron
Level 1 EV chargers although they are budget-friendly, easy to use, and install are very slow taking up to 31 hours to charge your Audi e-tron battery from 20 to 80%, for this reasons we don’t recommend them as much as home EV charger installation, and for this reasons, Level 1 chargers were not included in our list.
Level 2 Charging Station for Audi e-tron
Our list of the best Audi e-tron chargers came from Level 2 EV chargers, due to their ease of installation at homes by being compatible with standard 120 and 240V electrical panels, they are also fast EV chargers compared to Level 1 EV chargers and include smart EV features all home users look for, to optimize their home EV charging energy use.
However, not all Level 2 EV chargers cut out to our list of the best EV chargers, we had to scrap 22kW Audi e-tron chargers because of the complications and costs associated with installing a 22kW Level 2 EV charger at homes, and also we didn’t include 3.7kW chargers because they are slow compared to 7kW Audi e-tron chargers.
7kW Audi e-tron Charger (Recommended)
We found the best Audi e-tron home charger to be the 7kW Level 2 EV charger because they are compatible with standard 120 to 240V electrical panels, includes smart features, and falls in the sweet fast charging spot of 10 hours which makes it ideal for home night charging.
Level 3 Charging Station for Audi e-tron
Although Level 3 EV chargers are the fastest when it comes to charging your Audi e-tron using public charging stations taking less than an hour to charge your Audi e-tron battery from 20-80%, they are expensive costing upwards of $40,000 to $175,000 per unit, they also require high voltage electrical power supply of 400 to 1000 Volts and converting your normal 120/240V electrical system to a 400V to 1000V will cost upwards of $40,000 which makes Level 3 EV chargers not the best EV chargers for home installation, due to the costs and installation processes and costs.
Costs Less Than $1,000
Apart from the installation methods and costs, which made us settle on Level 2 EV chargers, we also considered the Audi e-tron Level 2 EV chargers which cost less than $1,000 without compromising on the features and the quality of the build, we considered less than $1,000 Audi e-tron EV chargers because installing a Level 2 EV charger will also cost you anywhere between $300 to $1,000 depending on the complexity of installation, plus costs associated with charging your Audi e-tron which amounts to $32.64 according to our set-up.
Ease of Installation
When it comes to home EV charger installations, we recommend hardwired EV charger installations over plug-in EV chargers because they create a more energy-efficient electric vehicle branch circuit set-up, however, EV chargers that allowed both hardwired and plug-in EV charger installation were preferred over those with just one installation option.
Since most USA electrical systems are 120/240V electrical systems, the Audi e-tron EV charger should be compatible with 240V electrical systems. Since we chose the 7kW EV charger rated at 32A to be the best Audi e-tron EV charger, our electric vehicle branch circuit was optimized for 32 Amps EV charger installation using a 40 Amps dedicated EV charger circuit breaker offering an 80/20 protection required by NEC.
Smart EV charging Features.
Audi e-trom comes equipped with smart EV charging features that help optimize and manage your Audi e-tron charging experience to prevent overloading your electrical grid (grid-optimized charging), and also monitor your EV charging habits, costs, and load management.
We made sure all the EV chargers in this list offer smart EV charging features that can communicate with the home energy management systems and directly to the Audi e-tron Charging System Connect that Audi offers as an option, this allows the Audi EV charger to be managed and controlled on the Audi 5-inch touch display, and myAudi app.
Two of the EV Charger in our list don’t offer smart EV charging features, the Enphase HCS-40 Level 2 EV Charger, and the BougeRV Level 2 EV Charger, we recommend the Enphase HCS-40 Level 2 EV charger for its reliability, and the BougeRV Level 2 EV charger for its budget-friendly costs.
Audi e-tron Level 2 Charger Installation.
We installed our 7kW Audi e-tron chargers on 32 Amps electric vehicle branch circuit, we had two types of installations, hardwired and plug-in Audi e-tron EV charger installations.
Hardwired Audi e-tron Level 2 Charger Installation.
The following diagram shows our hardwired Audi e-tron Level 2 charger installation.
Plug-in Audi e-tron Level 2 Charger Installation.
The following diagram shows our plug-in Audi e-tron Level 2 charger installation.
Daily Travel Distance with Audi e-tron Level 2 Charger
We tested the EV chargers on rented Audi Q4 e-tron, Audi Q6 e-tron, Audi Q8 e-tron, Audi A4 e-tron, Audi A6 e-tron, Audi e-tron, and the Audi e-tron GT, for 10 days on each model, per EV charger.
Testing the chargers was easy since all Audi e-tron uses a J1772 port, we installed one charger, and for 10 days we tested one Audi e-tron model to represent the other six, after 10 days we switched to a different charger and the processes continued till all the chargers were tested.
Although we didn’t test all the Audi e-tron electric vehicles, we performed a physical test, we tested the compatibility of the chargers, the charger connection to the Audi e-tron outlet, smart EV features, and any other physical tests between the charger and the electric vehicle.
With this setup the Audi e-tron, using a Level 2 charger, achieves different daily travel distances over a 10-day cycle, alternating between weekdays and weekends. On weekdays, we covered 40 miles daily and charged for a 5-hour charge each day. Weekends involved longer trips of 80 miles per day, with 2 hours of charging to recharge the Audi e-tron – 95.0 kWh battery. This chart demonstrates our achievable travel distances over a 10-day cycle despite our lifestyle.
Conclusions.
In conclusion, finding the best charger for your Audi e-tron involves balancing cost, reliability, and convenience. After testing and evaluating a range of options, several standout choices emerged.
For home installation, the JuiceBox 32 Smart (EV) Charger impressed us with its robust features and competitive pricing. It offers seamless integration with smart home systems and efficient charging capabilities.
If you’re looking for a top seller, the Tesla Universal Wall Connector provides a reliable option, despite being designed primarily for Tesla vehicles.
For utmost reliability, the Enphase HCS-40 Level 2 EV Charger stood out with its durable build and advanced safety features, ensuring peace of mind with every charge.
On a budget, the BougeRV Level 2 EV Charger offers excellent value for your money, making it a practical choice without compromising essential charging functionalities.
Ultimately, the right Audi e-tron charger depends on your specific needs: whether it’s seamless integration into your smart home setup, affordability, or robust reliability. Each of these chargers excels in different aspects, ensuring you can find one that perfectly suits your budget, installation options, and charging needs.
About the Author: James Ndungu
James Ndungu, founder and editor-in-chief of Electric Vehicle Geek, brings over five years of hands-on experience in Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) selection, permitting, and installation. He specializes in assisting businesses and homeowners in the United States with a seamless transition to electric vehicles.
As a certified EV charger installer and holder of advanced certifications, including the EVITP (Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program), Diploma in Electric Vehicle Technology, and Diploma in Engineering Fundamentals of Electric Vehicles, I provide expert guidance and in-depth reviews on the latest EV charging equipment.
Last update on 2024-09-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
