World’s Thinnest EV Charger Fattens Up (On Features)

What’s claimed to be the world’s thinnest EV charger has had a warranty and feature boost while retaining its slim form – and now has a cheaper companion.

New Zealand’s Evnex says it has been in the EV charging game since 2014 and designs, manufactures and develops all its products at its headquarters in Christchurch. The firm’s single-phase flagship product has been the E2. Last week, Evnex launched its new products – the E2 Plus and E2 Core.

E2 Vs. E2 Plus

The E2 Plus is the E2 with a name change and added goodies. It’s now provided with an 8m tethered cable as standard (previously 5 metres), and 4 years warranty (previously 3 years). It also includes Tesla integration features, along with all the other features of the original E2. It’s still available in 4 colours – snow, stone, sand, and volcanic.

The E2 Plus has a launch price of $1,299 (before installation). It’s not the cheapest EV charger around, but nor is it the most expensive by a long shot.

E2 Core Vs. E2 Plus

The E2 Core is a cheaper version that doesn’t have the Tesla integration and is supplied with a 5-metre tethered charging cable. Like the Plus, the E2 core is accompanied by a 4- year warranty. And you can have it in any colour you like, as long as that colour is volcanic.

For this trimmed down version, the price is $999 before installation. Commenting on the E2 Core, Evnex CEO Ed Harvey said:

“We believe there is a gap in the market for a premium locally made product to take on some of the cheaper imported brands and we’re excited to see how it resonates with consumers.”

There are devices with solar smart charging support from other brands cheaper than the E2 Core, some of which are listed on SQ’s EV charger comparison table (our Evnex listing will be updated soon). But cheap on price can sometimes mean cheap on quality – so bear that in mind when shopping around; and that applies to installation too.

That Evnex are providing a 4-year warranty now is encouraging and somewhat reassuring. Most manufacturers only offer 2 – 3 years; even among premium brands. Perhaps Evnex will start a trend.

Features In Common

Both of these EV chargers are 7.4kW, 32A single phase devices¹. The E2 Plus and E2 core both measure 286mm (height) x 185mm (width) x 66mm (depth) and can operate within a temperature range of -25C to 55C; although there will be some de-rating at higher temperatures.

The E2 Core weighs 2.95 kg including cable and the E2 Plus weighs 4.5 kg; including cable.

All the other features of the original E2 are included in both, including solar smart charging, overload protection, local load management (multi-charger), tariffs and schedules, and carbon monitoring. There’s an LED indicator on the charger’s “action button” showing status, and full monitoring/control is carried out via the Evnex app.

Evnex And OCPP

As for OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) support, Evnex tells us all its chargers use OCPP for communication with the cloud, but that’s as far as it goes. With the proliferation of third-party services and OCPP-compatible devices, full OCPP support is desirable – learn why.

If you’re not sure if the E2 Core or Plus may be right for you, check out SQ’s EV home charging guide and Evnex charger reviews from Australian customers.