EV charging used to be the great unknown; some chargers worked, some didn’t, and it was anybody’s guess as to which you’d be dealt with each given public charge. Luckily we’ve come a long way from that (and from me blowing fuses in my house when “refueling” electrified press cars), and it’s chargers like the GRIZZL-E Ultimate home charger that make this dream a reality.
Brave new world
Charging your EV at home was almost unheard of when I started writing for Hooniverse. In fact, EVs were barely a thing; there were only about five on sale then, a stark comparison with the countless electric and electrified vehicles available to the consumer today, and the total number sold was only around 160,000 as compared to 2024’s 1.3 million. Things have obviously changed drastically.
My wife was insistent on a PHEV for her next vehicle, so to make the most of it we needed a way to charge it at home on a regular basis. Public charging, as many know, is sometimes convenient and even less often super cost-effective. Being able to do so at home during off-peak hours is the move to maximize the savings that come with owning (or in our case leasing) a plug-in hybrid or fully electric vehicle. There’s a bunch of good options out there for home charging, and the kind folks at GRIZZL-E provided a unit for us to test.
What Is It?
The unit that’s subject of our review here is the Ultimate 48A EVSE. It comes in two colors– black or white (the former being for the non-Ultimate version of the 48V unit and the latter being the sole choice for the Ultimate)– and retails at $439.99 as of this writing. GRIZZL-E quotes a maximum current of 48 Amps or 11.5 kW, and the current can be adjusted to 40A, 32A, 24A, or 16A. GRIZZL-E states this is enough to charge a vehicle twice as fast as one using standard Level 2 EVSE and up to 8 times faster than a Level 1. Those are numbers we like.
The Ultimate comes with a 25-foot J1772 output cable for standardized use, and the main station’s aluminum enclosure is IP67 rated. It also carries UL E510712 certification plus a UL Type 4 Indoor/outdoor rating. GRIZZL-E offers either a 3 or 5 year warranty.
Also of note is that this is a smart charger. The unit itself has a built-in antenna for extended range and improved connectivity, allowing for it to connect to the home WiFi network to in turn provide charging statistics, set charging schedules, participate in Demand/Response Utility programs, and control the charge remotely. It can also connect to GRIZZL-E’s own Connect Application.
Install isn’t for the faint of heart and should in most cases be handled by a professional. The charger has to be hard wired which means tapping into the main circuit breaker and/or electric panels for the house. In some instances, users may need to step up the available power coming from the street to support the Ultimate’s highest possible charging limits. A certified electrician should be able to do the install, and you shouldn’t go playing with high voltage circuits yourself (unless you’re an electrician, that is).
Perfect in practice
A few months have passed since we installed the GRIZZL-E Ultimate unit astride our garage door and at the head of our house’s driveway. Charging has been absolutely flawless so far, proving fast and reliable every time. The GRIZZL-E charges our CX-90 PHEV quickly, accurately, and without any fuss whatsoever. I don’t have an enormous amount of experience with EV chargers but my impression is that the product GRIZZL-E is selling is extremely high quality in every way.
Of particular note for our Northeast life is that the cord is extremely sturdy and the whole unit is weatherproof in a way that other home chargers simply aren’t, providing peace of mind in rain, snow, wind, and every dose of mixed weather that Mother Nature can throw at the thing. We also admit we love that it’s made in Canada by a company that’s proud to be Canadian.
Given Mazda’s simple-and-effective charging App, we admit we haven’t tapped into the GRIZZL-E’s smart features. That said, it’s nice to know they’re there and available should we need them (i.e., if the Mazda App stops working) or if a press car comes through the rotation that needs to be charged. Those who care more about the specifics of charging profiles, kWh, current, and other charging-related metrics will have a good time toggling through the array of available tech.
Our overall experience thus far with the GRIZZL-E Ultimate gives it high marks across the board. That’s not to say we wouldn’t have a similar experience with a unit from another brand, but we’re big fans of this home EV charger and absolutely recommend it to those who are looking for a unit of this type and especially one with such high weatherproof ratings. Regularly using the GRIZZL-E Ultimate with has definitely saved us money over public charging and unquestionably been a major improvement in convenience over doing such (and especially over charging on a traditional 120-volt outlet).