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Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp EV Charging Station Review
It's well built, but there are things that could definitely be better about it.
Table of Contents:
Battery Tender has been in business for a long time — the brand’s parent company, Deltran, started out by producing power conversion and electronics in 1965, and went on to pioneer the world’s first fully automatic smart battery chargers in 1988 under its Battery Tender brand. Nowadays, the company offers a wide range of battery-related products, including jump starters, solar battery testers, inverters, and other accessories.
The company has a long history of making solid battery charging equipment, so when I heard that it was entering the EV charging equipment space, I reached out to the company about reviewing their products. That’s when they sent me the Battery Tender eCharge 32-amp to check out, since a lot of my followers have been asking me to review more portable chargers.
Misses
- Wall cradle and holster
- 120-V amperage adjustment
- Price
The Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp comes with a nice, soft carrying case, the portable unit itself (the J1772 connector comes with a nice rubber cap), a very compact connector holster, a NEMA 14-50 to 5-15P adapter, a mounting bracket, screws, drywall anchors, an Allen key, and a manual. There’s also a mounting cradle that comes attached to the unit, should you wish to install the charger on a convenient wall.
Since this is a portable EVSE, installation is completely optional. Should you wish to mount it, however, you certainly can. I can’t say that I was impressed with the Battery Tender eCharge’s ease of installation, since it gave me problems right from the start. There’s nothing in the manual that explains how to remove the mounting cradle from the back of the unit, and it took some finagling to discover that you need to unscrew and lift a side hinge on one end, then another screw on the bottom, to fully separate the pieces. The second screw is extremely small and tightly torqued, and I ended up stripping it before I could free the cradle from the unit. The process was definitely more complicated than it needed to be.
If you eventually get to the point of attaching the bracket to the wall, make sure you’re aware of where your outlet is before screwing anything in. If you want to hang the unit from your outlet, the plug will have the ground oriented up, so the charger might end up hanging pretty low. Since the Battery Tender has a display screen, that will probably not be ideal.
The Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp is a versatile dual amperage (AC Level 1 & 2) portable EV charger with a power output of up to 32 amps at a variable 8 to 32-amp rate. According to the manufacturer, this unit can recoup up to 28.5 miles per hour at peak power. It is also Energy Star and UL Safety certified.
Thanks to the unit’s display screen, you’ll be able to see the charger’s current temperature, how many amps the vehicle is charging at, how many kilowatt hours the vehicle has taken during the charging session, and change the power output of the charger. You can also set up delayed charging and a charging time limit (in one-hour increments).
The connector holster that comes with the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp is not at all one I could recommend, as it’s complicated to use and difficult to detach the connector from the holster. I’d suggest checking out this inexpensive Lectron dock and hook combo instead.
Key Specs of the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp
- Charger: Dual Voltage
- AC Connector: SAE J1772
- Power Input: NEMA 5-15 plug (common household outlet in the USA), NEMA 14-50 plug
- Rated Current: 32 Amps
- Adjustable Current: 8 – 32 Amps
- Maximum Power: 7.6 kW
- Dimensions (without cable): 12.11" x 4.96" x 2.26"
- Cable length: 24.5 ft
- Connectivity: -None-
- Safety Certified: Yes
Testing
Because I consider real-world testing such an important part of the reviews I do here at State of Charge and EV Charging Stations, I made sure to run the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp through all of its usual paces. EV charging equipment is expensive, and I know how frustrating it can be to end up with a unit that doesn’t fit your needs. Let’s see how the eCharge compares to other EV charging equipment.
The Cable Deep Freeze Test
I started my cold weather testing by putting the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp in a commercial ice cream freezer to see how well it would hold up under extreme cold. It’s not a need that everyone has, but that doesn’t make it any less critical for those living in chillier climates and need their chargers to be reliable. The eCharge 32 Amp sat in the freezer for a little over 24 hours, where it reached a final temperature of -15° F (-26.1° C) — well within its operating temperatures of 122° F to -22°F (50° C to -30° C). Once mounted, the charger immediately powered up. The power cable actually turned out to be pretty flexible, and I was very pleased to see how easily I could work with it. Definitely a passing grade.
The Cold Connector Drop Test
Since the connector was still frozen, I moved immediately to my Cold Connector Drop Test, where I put it through some rough handling by dropping it to the concrete floor of my garage. The connector for the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp isn’t one I’d consider top quality, but it’s still very good and gets the job done. After dropping it five times to the floor, the connector came away with a few scratches but otherwise worked just fine. That’s another passing grade from me.
The Automatic Restart Test
On the opposite side of the spectrum would be drivers who live in areas with intense heat, like the American Southwest. To test the possibility of overheating should the unit lay on the asphalt or be mounted outside on a sunny wall, I put the Battery Tender eCharge in front of a heat lamp for two hours, maintaining a temperature of about 120° F (48.89° C). Then I plugged my Rivian R1S in to charge for an additional two hours under that same heat lamp. The eCharge 32 Amps worked like a charm, delivering full power without derating or shutting off, even though it reached a temperature of 141° F (60.56° C). The eCharge passed the test.
The Extreme Heat Test
Since my Rivian R1S was still plugged in, I moved on to another of my tests — one that checks if an EVSE will re-engage after losing power. I’ve found that some chargers will unfortunately end up stuck in a fault state after a power outage, which could leave you in a tough spot. To complete this test, I turned off the power to my charging circuit, waited about a minute, then turned it back on. The Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp did its job and passed with flying colors.
The Water Intrusion Test
Since the Battery Tender is a portable charger, some people will take it on the road with them, meaning that it will likely encounter inclement weather now and then. This unit does have an IP rating of IP66, meaning that it should be able to withstand driving and blowing rain, snow, and dust. Rather than submerge it in a bucket of water (which I do with the higher-rated IP67), I decided to put the eCharge 32 Amp into my shower for 30 minutes to test its weather rating. After toweling it off, I plugged it back in, and it went back to work without issue. That’s another passing grade.
The 120v Amperage Adjustment Test
This last test is designed to check that a dual voltage unit properly adjusts its power output when going between 240 volts and 120 volts. You can check out the video above for all of the details, but essentially what I discovered was that the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp’s output power was not always as high as it should have been when charging on 240 volts. Now the ChargerRater doesn’t have a line item to subtract points for failing this test, so I will factor that knowledge into my personal score instead.
Each unit also gets my own personal score as a way to account for small details that a standardized chart just can’t cover. I gave the eCharge 32 Amp a rating of 3.8 stars out of 5 because of its high price and its frustrating holster and mounting cradle. After averaging the scores together, the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp came away with a final score of 4.3 out of 5 stars. It’s a solid EVSE, but some easily preventable issues kept it from doing as well as it could have.
The Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp is currently available for $349.99 on Amazon (as of January 21, 2026). You can see my full review in the video above, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp EV Charging Station Review
It's well built, but there are things that could definitely be better about it.
Table of Contents:
Battery Tender has been in business for a long time — the brand’s parent company, Deltran, started out by producing power conversion and electronics in 1965, and went on to pioneer the world’s first fully automatic smart battery chargers in 1988 under its Battery Tender brand. Nowadays, the company offers a wide range of battery-related products, including jump starters, solar battery testers, inverters, and other accessories.
The company has a long history of making solid battery charging equipment, so when I heard that it was entering the EV charging equipment space, I reached out to the company about reviewing their products. That’s when they sent me the Battery Tender eCharge 32-amp to check out, since a lot of my followers have been asking me to review more portable chargers.
Misses
- Wall cradle and holster
- 120-V amperage adjustment
- Price
The Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp comes with a nice, soft carrying case, the portable unit itself (the J1772 connector comes with a nice rubber cap), a very compact connector holster, a NEMA 14-50 to 5-15P adapter, a mounting bracket, screws, drywall anchors, an Allen key, and a manual. There’s also a mounting cradle that comes attached to the unit, should you wish to install the charger on a convenient wall.
Since this is a portable EVSE, installation is completely optional. Should you wish to mount it, however, you certainly can. I can’t say that I was impressed with the Battery Tender eCharge’s ease of installation, since it gave me problems right from the start. There’s nothing in the manual that explains how to remove the mounting cradle from the back of the unit, and it took some finagling to discover that you need to unscrew and lift a side hinge on one end, then another screw on the bottom, to fully separate the pieces. The second screw is extremely small and tightly torqued, and I ended up stripping it before I could free the cradle from the unit. The process was definitely more complicated than it needed to be.
If you eventually get to the point of attaching the bracket to the wall, make sure you’re aware of where your outlet is before screwing anything in. If you want to hang the unit from your outlet, the plug will have the ground oriented up, so the charger might end up hanging pretty low. Since the Battery Tender has a display screen, that will probably not be ideal.
Key Specs of the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp
- Charger: Dual Voltage
- AC Connector: SAE J1772
- Power Input: NEMA 5-15 plug (common household outlet in the USA), NEMA 14-50 plug
- Rated Current: 32 Amps
- Adjustable Current: 8 – 32 Amps
- Maximum Power: 7.6 kW
- Dimensions (without cable): 12.11" x 4.96" x 2.26"
- Cable length: 24.5 ft
- Connectivity: -None-
- Safety Certified: Yes
The Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp is a versatile dual amperage (AC Level 1 & 2) portable EV charger with a power output of up to 32 amps at a variable 8 to 32-amp rate. According to the manufacturer, this unit can recoup up to 28.5 miles per hour at peak power. It is also Energy Star and UL Safety certified.
Thanks to the unit’s display screen, you’ll be able to see the charger’s current temperature, how many amps the vehicle is charging at, how many kilowatt hours the vehicle has taken during the charging session, and change the power output of the charger. You can also set up delayed charging and a charging time limit (in one-hour increments).
The connector holster that comes with the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp is not at all one I could recommend, as it’s complicated to use and difficult to detach the connector from the holster. I’d suggest checking out this inexpensive Lectron dock and hook combo instead.
Testing
Because I consider real-world testing such an important part of the reviews I do here at State of Charge and EV Charging Stations, I made sure to run the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp through all of its usual paces. EV charging equipment is expensive, and I know how frustrating it can be to end up with a unit that doesn’t fit your needs. Let’s see how the eCharge compares to other EV charging equipment.
The Cable Deep Freeze Test
I started my cold weather testing by putting the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp in a commercial ice cream freezer to see how well it would hold up under extreme cold. It’s not a need that everyone has, but that doesn’t make it any less critical for those living in chillier climates and need their chargers to be reliable. The eCharge 32 Amp sat in the freezer for a little over 24 hours, where it reached a final temperature of -15° F (-26.1° C) — well within its operating temperatures of 122° F to -22°F (50° C to -30° C). Once mounted, the charger immediately powered up. The power cable actually turned out to be pretty flexible, and I was very pleased to see how easily I could work with it. Definitely a passing grade.
The Cold Connector Drop Test
Since the connector was still frozen, I moved immediately to my Cold Connector Drop Test, where I put it through some rough handling by dropping it to the concrete floor of my garage. The connector for the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp isn’t one I’d consider top quality, but it’s still very good and gets the job done. After dropping it five times to the floor, the connector came away with a few scratches but otherwise worked just fine. That’s another passing grade from me.
The Automatic Restart Test
On the opposite side of the spectrum would be drivers who live in areas with intense heat, like the American Southwest. To test the possibility of overheating should the unit lay on the asphalt or be mounted outside on a sunny wall, I put the Battery Tender eCharge in front of a heat lamp for two hours, maintaining a temperature of about 120° F (48.89° C). Then I plugged my Rivian R1S in to charge for an additional two hours under that same heat lamp. The eCharge 32 Amps worked like a charm, delivering full power without derating or shutting off, even though it reached a temperature of 141° F (60.56° C). The eCharge passed the test.
The Extreme Heat Test
Since my Rivian R1S was still plugged in, I moved on to another of my tests — one that checks if an EVSE will re-engage after losing power. I’ve found that some chargers will unfortunately end up stuck in a fault state after a power outage, which could leave you in a tough spot. To complete this test, I turned off the power to my charging circuit, waited about a minute, then turned it back on. The Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp did its job and passed with flying colors.
The Water Intrusion Test
Since the Battery Tender is a portable charger, some people will take it on the road with them, meaning that it will likely encounter inclement weather now and then. This unit does have an IP rating of IP66, meaning that it should be able to withstand driving and blowing rain, snow, and dust. Rather than submerge it in a bucket of water (which I do with the higher-rated IP67), I decided to put the eCharge 32 Amp into my shower for 30 minutes to test its weather rating. After toweling it off, I plugged it back in, and it went back to work without issue. That’s another passing grade.
The 120v Amperage Adjustment Test
This last test is designed to check that a dual voltage unit properly adjusts its power output when going between 240 volts and 120 volts. You can check out the video above for all of the details, but essentially what I discovered was that the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp’s output power was not always as high as it should have been when charging on 240 volts. Now the ChargerRater doesn’t have a line item to subtract points for failing this test, so I will factor that knowledge into my personal score instead.
Each unit also gets my own personal score as a way to account for small details that a standardized chart just can’t cover. I gave the eCharge 32 Amp a rating of 3.8 stars out of 5 because of its high price and its frustrating holster and mounting cradle. After averaging the scores together, the Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp came away with a final score of 4.3 out of 5 stars. It’s a solid EVSE, but some easily preventable issues kept it from doing as well as it could have.
The Battery Tender eCharge 32 Amp is currently available for $349.99 on Amazon (as of January 21, 2026). You can see my full review in the video above, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
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