Wallboxes put to the test

Wallboxes put to the test

Markus Kaiser, Öamtc expert for electromobility, is satisfied with the test results: “Out of a total of over 400 charging processes, there were only two charging interruptions, so the reliability is enormous.” In addition to the functional aspect, the automobile club's experts examined the safety of the products and also took into account the scope of delivery and assembly, the equipment, any app support and data security in the evaluation. Conclusion: Ten out of twelve test candidates achieved the grade “good”. Particularly pleasing from an Austrian perspective: With the go-eCharger, a domestic product takes first place, ex aequo with the Chargers Commander 2 model. What both have in common is the safe and reliable charging behavior, the setting options via the app and directly on the box, as well as the generally good equipment. “It’s also worth mentioning that the Austrian box is the cheapest product in the test – for the Wallbox Chargers model you have to dig almost twice as deep into your pocket,” says the Öamtc expert.

Regardless of the price, both test winners are thoroughly recommended. The test shows that the price does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the quality. The same applies to the other wallboxes rated “good”. Kaiser: “It’s amazing how high the quality is now.” The individual models differ in some of their equipment details - it is therefore advisable for consumers to think carefully about what they need: Is the focus more on high security, on technical features such as charging control and comfort functions, perhaps on a functional smartphone app, on visual displays of charging details or ultimately on the price? “As a mobility club, we are happy to provide help and advice,” says Kaiser. Unfortunately, there is also an Austrian product at the bottom of the table: the PC Electric Wallbox GLB was one of two models rated “not sufficient”. “This box has problems with the integrated DC fault monitoring – a no-go when it comes to safety,” explains the Öamtc expert. The same defect also leads to a negative overall rating for the Alfen Eve Single S-line model. “If you value safety, you should avoid these two boxes as long as the manufacturers don’t make improvements,” says Kaiser. A side detail: A wallbox from Alfen was already rated “insufficient” in the Öamtc test in 2018 - then as now with the same safety-relevant problem: the integrated DC residual current monitoring device did not trigger in accordance with the standards.  All results in detail below www.oeamtc.at/tests/elektromobilitaet/wallboxentest-2022/