We independently review every item we recommend. If you buy through our links, we may earn a small commission that helps us continue to make quality content for you. Thanks for your support!
Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A EV Charging Station Review
Further improvements have led to a new record in our EV charger reviews.
Table of Contents:
Those of you familiar with EVChargingStations and State of Charge know that I've reviewed quite a few products in the Grizzl-E line before, including the Grizzl-E Classic, the Grizzl-E Smart, and the Grizzl-E Duo. This line is manufactured by United Chargers.
United Chargers has since released a new product called the Grizzl-E Ultimate, offered in both a 48-amp and 80-amp version, and I'm eager to see how well it compares to its peers. This review will cover the 48-amp version, with the 80-amp unit hopefully coming soon.
- Charger: AC Level 2
- AC Connector: SAE J1772, NACS
- Power Input: Hardwired
- Rated Current: 48 Amps
- Adjustable Current: 16 – 48 Amps
- Maximum Power: 11.5
- Dimensions (without cable): 10.25" x 6.25" x 3.75"
- Cable length: 25 ft
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi
- Safety Certified: Yes
The Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A comes packaged with the unit's body, a 25-foot charging cable with a J1772 connector, quick-start manual, setup guide, lockable remote connector holster, screws, Allen wrench, drywall anchors, security bar and pin, lug connectors, lug shrink wraps, and mounting bracket.
The Ultimate 48A is sold for hardwired use only, meaning that there is more to prepping it for use than simply plugging it in. You begin by installing one half of the mounting plate to the wall in your selected location, preferably over a stud for extra stability, using the provided screws. The other half gets screwed to the back of the body of the unit with the shorter screws and Allen wrench. Then all you need to do is press the two parts of the mounting brackets together and they will lock into place. After that, you slide the security bar through the mounting bracket and secure it in place with its pin.
Because this unit is intended to be hardwired, I highly recommend that users have these kinds of EV charging stations professionally installed by a certified electrician. There's a lot of power and heat going through these things, and we are seeing more and more instances of dangerous equipment failure cropping up as a result of shoddy installs. I personally recommend my YouTube channel sponsor Qmerit for the installation of EV charging equipment. As North America’s leading provider of installation services for EV charging, home energy storage, and other electrification technologies, you can count on them to get the job done right.
This version of the Grizzl-E Ultimate is a 48-amp EVSE with a maximum power rating of 11.5 kW. The 25-foot charging cable is available with either a J1772 or NACS connector in order to make it usable by nearly any EV. The Ultimate is UL certified, Energy Star rated, and comes with a 3-year factory warranty. The unit is made in Canada.
The Ultimate 48A is protected by a IP67-rated cast-aluminum enclosure that's rock solid. It's equivalent to a NEMA 4 to NEMA 6 rating. You could beat the hell out of this thing and it wouldn't break. The company has run them over with ATVs and trucks. In previous reviews, I dunked it in buckets and shot it with a garden hose before opening it up to see if water had gotten in, and it never failed. United Chargers also got feedback that the Wi-Fi range on previous models was not good, probably because of the thick case, and have since moved the Wi-Fi antenna to the outside.
The charging cable is thinner than previous generation Grizzl-E chargers, which is something I'd criticized United Chargers on for their 40-amp unit. I thought they were thicker than they needed to be and a bit cumbersome to use, so it's nice to see them act on it. The company upgraded their connectors about a year ago — it's still not my favorite connector, but it's better than it was.
Since this is a Wi-Fi enabled smart charger, you can use Grizzl-E's app to access additional features. After pairing the app with your device, you can open up their step-by-step instructional video on YouTube to learn how to use its smart features, like scheduling, power monitoring, and energy use tracking. You can even set up multiple Grizzl-E units on the same app.
Testing
There's no denying that EV charging equipment will see a lot of wear and tear over its lifetime. This means that it's critical that consumers like you know how well they will hold up under normal use in the situations you will most commonly experience, that way you're not faced with the unexpected expense of repair or even replacement. So how did the Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A do as I put it through its paces?
Deep Freeze Cold Weather Testing
One of my first and favorite tests is the Deep Freeze Cold Weather Test, where I find out how a charger will hold up when temperatures drop wickedly low. I put the Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A in my commercial ice cream freezer for about 28 hours, and it measured at -11° F (-23° C) when I finally pulled it back out. I checked the cable's flexibility first. It started out stiff and tightly coiled, which isn't a good sign — it's much better to see them come out more floppy. The jacket of the cable is more plasticky than rubberized, making it not very bendable. But since the cable is thin, you can manhandle it and make it go in the direction that you want even if it fights you. I wouldn't consider it good for cold weather, though it is manageable. Next I checked the connector's durability via the connector drop test, where I dropped it repeatedly onto the floor of my concrete garage. The connector suffered no visible damage. It's made by ITT, a very well-established company, and while it doesn't have a good rubberized feel, it does the job in an affordable way. I usually do a cold-weather power up test to round off this section, but I can't do that with the Grizzl-E Ultimate since it's a hardwired unit, and I can't have it hardwired in the freezer.
The Automatic Restart Test
Say you have a short power outage overnight while you're sleeping and your car is charging. I've found that some electric vehicle chargers don't start charging again once the power returns — they'll remain in a fault mode once it gets shut off and then it doesn't start charging the vehicle again. This means that a quick 10-second power outage may result in you waking up in the morning with a vehicle that hasn't recharged as intended. That's what this test checks out. After plugging the Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A into my Rivian R1S, I simulated a power outage by turning off the breaker. The Ultimate started right up again once the power returned, and it passed this test with flying colors.
The Extreme Heat Test
Some people live in the Southwestern US, where the summer heat can get quite severe. In order to discover how a charging station will hold up under such intense temperatures, I put the Ultimate 48A in front of a heat lamp for two hours. The unit reached a surface temperature of 122° F (50° C) before I plugged it into my R1S to charge for another two hours to see if it can deliver the intended power. The Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A reached a surface temperature of 150° F (65.6° C) by the time the test was finished. It delivered 20.9 kWh of energy to the truck, which is exactly what I would have expected it to. That's another pass for the Ultimate 48A.
The Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A came away with a final score of 4.4 stars. I don't believe that the ergonomics of the connector are as great as they could be, but there's no denying that Grizzl-E has one of the most robust, durable enclosures on the market. For the price, this EVSE is a fantastic buy.
The Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A is currently available for $479.99 on Grizzl-E's website, where you can also find the 80-amp version for $899.99 (as of November 18, 2025). You can see my full review in the video above for more details, and let me know what you think about it in the comments below.
Grizzl-E Ultimate 48AEV Charging Station Review
Further improvements have led to a new record in our EV charger reviews.
Table of Contents:
Those of you familiar with EVChargingStations and State of Charge know that I've reviewed quite a few products in the Grizzl-E line before, including the Grizzl-E Classic, the Grizzl-E Smart, and the Grizzl-E Duo. This line is manufactured by United Chargers.
United Chargers has since released a new product called the Grizzl-E Ultimate, offered in both a 48-amp and 80-amp version, and I'm eager to see how well it compares to its peers. This review will cover the 48-amp version, with the 80-amp unit hopefully coming soon.
- Charger: AC Level 2
- AC Connector: SAE J1772, NACS
- Power Input: Hardwired
- Rated Current: 48 amps
- Adjustable Current: 16 – 48 amps
- Maximum Power: 11.5 kW
- Dimensions (without cable): 10.25" x 6.25" x 3.75"
- Cable length: 25 ft
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi
- Safety Certified: Yes
The Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A comes packaged with the unit's body, a 25-foot charging cable with a J1772 connector, quick-start manual, setup guide, lockable remote connector holster, screws, Allen wrench, drywall anchors, security bar and pin, lug connectors, lug shrink wraps, and mounting bracket.
The Ultimate 48A is sold for hardwired use only, meaning that there is more to prepping it for use than simply plugging it in. You begin by installing one half of the mounting plate to the wall in your selected location, preferably over a stud for extra stability, using the provided screws. The other half gets screwed to the back of the body of the unit with the shorter screws and Allen wrench. Then all you need to do is press the two parts of the mounting brackets together and they will lock into place. After that, you slide the security bar through the mounting bracket and secure it in place with its pin.
Because this unit is intended to be hardwired, I highly recommend that users have these kinds of EV charging stations professionally installed by a certified electrician. There's a lot of power and heat going through these things, and we are seeing more and more instances of dangerous equipment failure cropping up as a result of shoddy installs. I personally recommend my YouTube channel sponsor Qmerit for the installation of EV charging equipment. As North America’s leading provider of installation services for EV charging, home energy storage, and other electrification technologies, you can count on them to get the job done right.
Misses
- Connector
- Doesn't power share
- Limited app functions
This version of the Grizzl-E Ultimate is a 48-amp EVSE with a maximum power rating of 11.5 kW. The 25-foot charging cable is available with either a J1772 or NACS connector in order to make it usable by nearly any EV. The Ultimate is UL certified, Energy Star rated, and comes with a 3-year factory warranty. The unit is made in Canada.
The Ultimate 48A is protected by a IP67-rated cast-aluminum enclosure that's rock solid. It's equivalent to a NEMA 4 to NEMA 6 rating. You could beat the hell out of this thing and it wouldn't break. The company has run them over with ATVs and trucks. In previous reviews, I dunked it in buckets and shot it with a garden hose before opening it up to see if water had gotten in, and it never failed. United Chargers also got feedback that the Wi-Fi range on previous models was not good, probably because of the thick case, and have since moved the Wi-Fi antenna to the outside.
The charging cable is thinner than previous generation Grizzl-E chargers, which is something I'd criticized United Chargers on for their 40-amp unit. I thought they were thicker than they needed to be and a bit cumbersome to use, so it's nice to see them act on it. The company upgraded their connectors about a year ago — it's still not my favorite connector, but it's better than it was.
Since this is a Wi-Fi enabled smart charger, you can use Grizzl-E's app to access additional features. After pairing the app with your device, you can open up their step-by-step instructional video on YouTube to learn how to use its smart features, like scheduling, power monitoring, and energy use tracking. You can even set up multiple Grizzl-E units on the same app.
Testing
To provide you, as a consumer, with the best overall picture of how an EV charging station operates during everyday use, I subject each one I review to a series of tests. By simulating real-world conditions, I can demonstrate how well a charging station will perform under various scenarios, including extreme temperatures, rough handling, and power outages. That way, you’re more likely to purchase an EVSE that actually fits your needs.
The Extreme Heat Test
To see how well an EV charging station can handle extreme heat, such as summertime in the American Southwest, I put a heat lamp in front of it for about two hours to get the surface temperature to about 120° F (48.89° C). The point is to make sure that the unit will still deliver full power without derating or shutting off when it overheats. I plugged in a Porsche Macan for the test, and checked back in three hours. The Emporia Pro charged the Macan at full power the entire time, even though the surface temperature of the unit eventually rose to about 166° F (74.4° C). That’s a pass on the Extreme Heat Test.
The Automatic Restart Test
With the Automatic Restart Test, I have the charger actively charging an electric vehicle, and I kill power to the circuit to simulate a power outage before restoring the power. What I want to see is the charger re-engaging the electric vehicle and continuing to charge. We’ve noticed that some chargers get stuck in a fault state and don’t start charging the EV again, which is problematic. I plugged the Porsche Macan in for this test as well, and the Emporia Pro immediately resumed charging after the power interruption. That’s another pass.
The Cable Deep Freeze Test
Those of us who live in a northern state, or even Canada, know that cold-weather cable pliability is incredibly important as well. In order to test that, I put the Emporia Pro in a deep freezer for about 30 hours, where it reached a temperature of -12° F (-24.4° C). The thin cable immediately began to frost up after I pulled it out of the freezer, and I was able to unwind it and re-coil it very easily. This was an excellent-performing cable, and yet another pass for the Emporia Pro.
The Frozen Connector Drop Test
Since the unit was still frozen, it was the perfect time for me to conduct my Frozen Connector Drop Test. I dropped the connector five times onto the concrete floor of my garage to see how it would handle rough handling. I don’t love this particular brand of connector, but it handled the test without picking up a single scratch, so the Emporia Pro passes this test as well.
The Cold Weather Startup Test
To round out the cold-weather-related testing, I decided to plug the frozen charging station into the Porsche Macan to see if it powered up and worked well while it was still cold. I plugged it in, watched the initiation lights turn on, and the Emporia Pro started supplying power. That’s yet another pass for this charging station.
The Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A came away with a final score of 4.4 stars. I don't believe that the ergonomics of the connector are as great as they could be, but there's no denying that Grizzl-E has one of the most robust, durable enclosures on the market. For the price, this EVSE is a fantastic buy.
The Grizzl-E Ultimate 48A is currently available for $479.99 on Grizzl-E's website, where you can also find the 80-amp version for $899.99 (as of November 18, 2025). You can see my full review in the video above for more details, and let me know what you think about it in the comments below.
YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:
Latest YouTube Updates From State Of Charge
Tom,
Do you know when they will release the NACS version of this? I am keeping an eye on the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5. I have had a classic Grizzl-E for my Mustang Mach-E since 2021 and strongly prefer the Grizzl-E line of chargers.
I just had my Grizzle Ultimate installed but I’m worried
The unit makes a loud clicking when circuit is turned on for a few seconds is this normal?
I purchased the classic unit, which I discovered cannot be used with an indoor installation if the vehicle sends a “ventilation required” signal.
My wife’s car, a PHEV that was purchased 12/2024, sends this signal, and the charger, which displays a blinking blue light (indicating that the vehicle has been detected and there are no errors) will not charge the car.
United Chargers has thus far not been helpful in resolving this problem.
Also, note that the charger unit may be wash-down rated, but the outlet it plugs into needs to be installed in a NEMA 3 (or better) weather-resistant housing. This adds to the cost of installation.
Unfortunately the price for the Grizzl-E Ultimate 48-Amp is now $439.99. I spoke to Sales at United Chargers and they said the higher price is due to the new tariffs on Canadian products.
Tom, really enjoy your reviews and trust your opinions over the claims by manufacturers! Looking for home level 2 charger and already have a Nema 14-50 receptacle from our past Tesla days.
Currently we have a 2025 Lyriq and want to install level 2 with the NEMA plug end…..what would you recommend between the Grizzle 48, the EVIQO or Emporia since we would like to stay around $450.
Thanx and appreciate your response.