Complete review of the Emporia smart home EV charger

Emporia is known for its tech-focused approach to energy management. The Littleton, Colorado-based company offers a suite of EV charging and home energy management products, the crux of which is the $399 Emporia EV Charging Station.

Despite its various accessories, Emporia offers a simple product selection if all you want is a charger. You can opt for either a hardwired or a four-prong NEMA 14-50 plug configuration, and either a J1772 connector or a Tesla input. It also comes in either white or black. Regardless of which combination of those core features you choose, the price remains $399.

Solid specs, solid price

The Emporia charger has all the meat-and-potatoes specs you’d want to see in a Level 2 charger. It’s quick enough to fully recharge almost any EV in a matter of hours (and certainly overnight), and it has all the relevant safety certifications. It’s available with both Tesla and J-1772 connectors. It’s all very, very solid stuff for the price. 

Great ratings

One of the surest signs that it’s dependable and meeting expectations is its excellent average user rating at most retailers. It scores a 4.7 out of 5 at Amazon based on nearly 2,000 ratings as of mid-2024. 

Energy monitoring and solar integration

Another popular reason to pick the Emporia EV Charger is how well it integrates with the Emporia Vue energy monitoring system, if you’re into that kind of thing. This setup gives you precise readouts of the EV charger’s energy use, and even enables a “charge from solar” feature. You can set up the Emporia system to recharge your EV exclusively from excess solar power produced by a home solar array—the power that your panels are making, but that the rest of your home isn’t actively using. This is a great way to make the most of your rooftop solar setup in areas without robust net metering.

Image source: Emporia

The Emporia charger is a little bit homely, if you’re concerned about the way your EV charger looks. There’s nothing offensive about the Emporia’s design, but there are other models with a bit more style: Nicer finishes, sturdier materials, cooler LEDs, take your pick.

Reviews suggest that the Emporia’s cable can get a little stiff in cold weather. This is pretty common for EV chargers in general, though the Emporia might be a little more prone to this rigidity than others. It is still rated for outdoor use, though it doesn’t have the extreme weatherproofing bonafides as some other models do.

If you’re looking an EV charger with two cables, or native load sharing, or a speedy 80 amps of charging capacity, you’ll have to look at other brands—Emporia doesn’t currently make any models with these features. (However, they do offer a few bundles that come with the Emporia Vue monitor.)

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