So, you’ve finally bought yourself that new electric car you’ve been dreaming of. Congratulations! This is the first step on your path to a brighter, greener future! There’s just one problem, though. Electric vehicles, on average, have shorter driving ranges than conventional, combustion-powered cars.
In simpler terms, this just means that electric vehicles typically can’t rack up as many miles per hour on a full charge as a gas-powered vehicle can on a full fuel tank.
This can present a real struggle for EV owners who just want to go about their daily business uninterrupted. This problem is especially frustrating for vehicle owners who rely on public EV charging stations to top up their batteries. Combine the repetitive trips to and from the station with the hassle of remembering a membership card and the boredom of waiting several hours for a full charge, and you might find yourself questioning why you bought an electric car in the first place. But wait! Don’t give up on your EV just yet! There’s a very simple solution, and its name is the Blink Home Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger!
All About Blink Charging
In our opinion, the best way to understand a product from the get-go is to gain an understanding of the developer and manufacturer.
Blink Charging was founded in 1998 and is based in Miami Beach, Florida.
These days, the company is one of the biggest names in EV charging. Blink Charging is committed to making valuable change happen by helping to roll out a global electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
In 2020, Blink Charging won the Electric Vehicle Charging Station category in the Best of Corvallis award. The award, presented by the Corvallis Award Program, recognizes marketing and business achievements in the city of Corvallis, Oregon.
However, public charging stations aren’t Blink Charging’s only focus. The company has also turned its attention to affordable, accessible home EV charging, which is where the Blink Home Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger comes in…
The Blink Home Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger
The Blink Home Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger, also known as the Blink HQ 100, is an affordable, versatile, and easy-to-use EV charger for residential use.
It doesn’t have quite as many bells and whistles as some of the more high-end models available from competitor manufacturers.
Still, it’s ideal for EV drivers looking for intuitive simplicity from their charging stations.
Main Features
Stylish Design
You should never judge a book entirely by its cover or a home EV charger by its design. However, in this case, the build of the Blink HQ 100 is an excellent indicator of the quality and functionality of the product.
The Blink home EV charger’s construction is sleek, stylish, and simple. The all-black, glossy design looks professional and high-quality whilst remaining unobtrusive and able to complement almost any home exterior.
30 Amp Charging
The first major thing to note about the Blink HQ 100 home EV charger is that it delivers 30 amp charging from 240 volts. This is what classifies the HQ 100 as a Level 2 charger, as opposed to a Level 1 charger.
If you’ve done your research on the subject of residential EV charging, you may already know that there are 2 main types of home charging for electric vehicles. There are Level 1 chargers, which retail at lower prices and run on 120 volts, and Level 2 models, which operate at the higher voltage of 240 volts and typically cost a little more.
So, you may be wondering, why should I buy this Level 2 charger instead of a less expensive Level 1 model?
Well, for a start, Level 1 chargers have much slower charging times than their Level 2 counterparts. Although these chargers might be more budget-friendly initially, they typically only put out between 12 and 16 amps. This is roughly half of what the Blink Home Level 2 Charger is capable of putting out.
Because of the longer charge times, Level 1 chargers don’t allow for as much charge to be transferred over the same time period as Level 2 models. Less driving range per hour of charge means less flexibility and freedom in your lifestyle.
Moreover, the Blink Home Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger isn’t just any Level 2 home charger. It charges 6 times faster than the standard EV chargers provided with electric vehicles, so you can easily go about your day without feeling held back by your EV’s charging times.
18 ft Cable
The Blink Home Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger features a long, 18 ft cable. This is significantly longer than most EV charging cables, which tend to sit somewhere between 5 and 10 feet in length.
With an 18 ft cable, you can enjoy complete control over the positioning of your charging port and vehicle without having to worry about your cable’s reach.
Charge Delay Function
Something we should mention about the Blink Home charger is that it doesn’t come with any built-in smart features or wifi functions.
This may be a disappointment for some EV owners, who appreciate the flexibility of being able to control their vehicle’s charging schedule from the warmth and comfort of their own home.
However, the charger does have a charge delay function, which allows users to plug their vehicle into the charging port and set a charging time several hours in advance. You can set a short 2-hour delay or opt for a longer delay of 4, 6, or even 8 hours!
This charge delay feature doesn’t only enhance the convenience of the product but also allows for greater cost efficiency because users can schedule their charging for off-peak hours.
We might also add that there are benefits to the HQ 100’s minimalism in terms of extra functions. Most of the time, smart EV chargers require the download and use of an application to use the wifi or Bluetooth-enabled features. However, this often causes more problems than it rectifies, with bugging, glitching, and malfunctioning being frequent complaints around smart EV chargers.
With the Blink Home charger, you have the option of monitoring your charging status through your vehicle’s own application if you have one, but there’s no app download requirement for charge functionality.
EV Compatibility
If you’ve liked the sound of the Blink Home Level 2 charger so far, you’ll be pleased to hear that it’s widely compatible with the majority of electric vehicles currently available on the market.
You can use the Blink Home charger with any plug-in EV, including Tesla (with the separate purchase of a J1772 adapter), Nissan, Chevrolet, and Toyota models, plus many more. It’s even compatible with some of the newest models on the market, like the Chevrolet Bolt.
With so many new electric vehicles being developed each year, it’s reassuring to see that Blink Charging is committed to ensuring maximum compatibility through its products.
Easy Installation
In the grand scheme of home EV chargers, the HQ 100 is not particularly difficult to install. The process itself is relatively straightforward, and the product even comes with a wall-mounting bracket included along with instructions.
In theory, you could install this charger yourself if you have the prerequisite experience and knowledge. However, because this is a 30 Amp, 240-volt, Level 2 charger (as opposed to the Level 1 EV chargers that run on 120 volts), both we and Blink recommend that you seek the assistance of a professional electrician.
While the recommendation for professional installation may seem like a drag, it’s a much better option than accidentally causing damage to your property (or worse, yourself) through incorrect installation.
Besides, it makes sense to set yourself in good stead in terms of your new charger’s longevity by ensuring that the installation is properly and professionally conducted.
Overview
Advantages
- Aesthetically pleasing design
- Fast 30 amp (240-volt) charging
- Long 18 ft cable for accessibility
- Intuitive controls
- Charge delay settings for convenience and cost-efficiency
- Compatible with most EVs
- Includes mounting hardware
- Affordably priced
Disadvantages
- Professional installation recommended
- No wifi functionality
Final Thoughts
The Blink Home Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charger, or Blink HQ 100, is indisputably one of the best home EV chargers currently available.
While this charger’s minimalism may be seen as a drawback by some users, we believe that the simplicity of this charger model is part of what makes it superior.
Instead of draining your wallet with expensive, advanced features, the Blink Home EV Charger provides only what you need, with a couple of extra perks for ease of use and money-saving.
With its sleek design, extra-long cable, fast charging times, intuitive operation, and cost-effective functionality, the Blink Home EV charger will show you just how easy and convenient electric vehicle charging can (and should) be.
Best of all, you get to enjoy all of this for a comparatively affordable price, complete with a 1-year warranty!
If you’ve been looking for a high-performing, budget-friendly alternative to some of the high-end, smart EV chargers out there, we would strongly recommend the Blink HQ 100.
With an easy-to-understand and no-nonsense style, Michael writes to educate readers who are considering their first EV purchase or those looking to get the most fun and value out of their Tesla, Leaf, Volt or other electric vehicle.
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