Review: Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Best Cable Yet

Level 2 electric vehicle chargers for home use are now a hot product as EV adoption spreads. We were approached by Enphase to test and review its IQ50 charger. Here are our findings.

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Unpacking
The IQ50 came well-secured in a very robust box with many inner boxes and cardboard support. Every part of the product was well-protected and came wrapped in plastic. The J-plug handle was also encased in bubble wrap, which was a smart move. Consumers should be confident that their Enphase EV charger will arrive undamaged and that if it rains on the box they need not fear.

The box contained the charger and its cord attached to the J-plug (of course), and it also had a NEMA 14-50 socket assembly and wall plate included. We felt that was a nice touch. There is also an excellent holster for the J-plug handle. Hardware was included as well, and there were some clearly market instruction booklets.

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Instructions
The instructions for wall-mounting are very clear, and the font is easy to read. They walk ou through the installation process step by step, and although I’ve installed many EV chargers, I felt that these instructions would make it easy for any homeowner to follow along. 

The instructions for the app come first. I like that. It’s always my least favorite part of the install, and getting it done first was great. The app loaded to my Android Samsung Galaxy S24 with ease. I would call the loading and product registration typical. No surprises. One powers up the unit after registering on the app, the unit communicates via Bluetooth automatically, and then it prompts you to select your home wifi network and input your wifi password. That’s all there is to it. 

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Wall Mounting
One plus of the Enphase Charger is that it only requires two screws to secure it to your backing board. It also does not require the use of a plate. It just connects directly. That saves time. However, there is a downside. The holes for the mounting are behind the unit's faceplate in a way that makes using your cordless driver tricky. Enphase recommends using the washers provided and using a 6-inch extension driver bit in your drill. 

The J-plug holster mounts above the unit, and we loved it. It works great, and for outside mounting, it would keep water off the unit very effectively. 

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Have Your Unit Hard-wired
As you can see, we used a NEMA 14-50 socket to power our Enphase charger. We do not recommend you do so. Buy a unit that is to be hard-wired by your electrician. There are many good reasons to do this with any charger. With the Enphase unit, it is a must. The stubby power cable required us to bend the unit at a sharp angle, which put strain on our socket. It was so worrisome we nearly abandoned the project. We were worried either the power cord or our socket would suffer damage. We got them connected, but just barely. If this was a totally new install and our socket had not yet been placed, it could have been mounted upside down, and the plug would have fit better. Take our advice: just order a hard-wire-ready unit and have your electrician install it. 

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - The App
We found the app easy to use. It does all the expected things, and it works very well on Android.

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Charging
We connected a 2024 Genesis GV60, and the Enphase charger powered it with no drama. The J-plug feels of high quality and fits smoothly into the Genesis socket. The car and charger communicated immediately, and charging began. We observed 9.1 to 9.3 kW of power delivery. None of the components were hot to the touch after 30 minutes of test charging. 

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Pricing and Availability
The Enphase charger is surprisingly high in cost. Most of the units we test today with the same specifications are under $500. The Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger with a NEMA 14-50 plug end is priced at $710 on the Enphase website. The unit is also available on Amazon and when we checked, it was available for immediate delivery. 

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - The Cable
The cable of the Enphase charger is the best we’ve tested yet. Supple may describe it. It bends quite easily and is not heavy compared to other similar chargers we have tested. In the images it may seem a bit messy, but that is because it was fresh out of the box and had taken shape from sitting. The cable length is a generous 25 feet.

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Some Specs
The unit connects to a 50-amp circuit and operates continually on 40 amps (like all chargers of its type). Nominal power delivery will be 9.6 kW on a nominal 240 V supply voltage. We connected it to a GFCI-protected circuit and did not have any false trips. 

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Safety
The Enphase charger has a NEMA 4 enclosure for protection from the elements. Safety certs include cETLus. UL is not listed in the specs, nor is the unit itself stamped UL anywhere we can see. 

Enphase 40-Amp IQ50 EV Charger - Conclusion
The Enpahse IQ50 counts among its plusses a great power cord, a quality J-plug handle, and the best holster for the handle we have ever tested. Installation is typical, and the app works well. If your budget is in the $700 range, this unit is worthy of consideration. Just heed our warning to buy the version that is prepped for hard-wiring for the reasons we list above. 

Author Note: Torque News received no compensation from Enphase, direct or indirect, for the publication of this story. We are not keeping the sample unit. We sending the unit on to a colleague for another review at another publicaiton. 
 

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John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work at our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading. 

Images of Enphase IQ50 EV charger by John Goreham.