Choosing between Wallbox, Grizzl-E, FLO, and ChargePoint for Victoria homes

All four are good Level 2 chargers. Choose based on your panel, where you park, and how wet the mounting spot gets.

The four chargers

Wallbox Pulsar Plus

Small, and the most flexible on amperage: adjustable from 16A to 48A in the app on the hardwired version. On a tight 100A panel we set it at 24A or 32A, then turn it up after a panel upgrade.

Good app, and two units can share power. It leans on Wi-Fi more than the others. If Wi-Fi drops, it keeps charging but loses the app features.

Grizzl-E Classic / Smart

Made in Ontario, with a heavy-duty build. The Classic has no app and very little to break. The case is rated to −30°C, and it holds up on fully exposed posts in Langford. For uncovered outdoor parking it's our usual first suggestion.

The Smart adds Wi-Fi and scheduling. Check the rebate-eligible charger list before choosing.

FLO Home

Made in Shawinigan, Quebec, with an aluminum housing and a −40°C rating carried over from FLO's curbside units. It's the most expensive of the four.

The cable stays flexible in the cold better than the others, and FLO's support keeps Canadian business hours. For a fully exposed install where you want to buy once, this is the one.

ChargePoint Home Flex

The best app of the four, and handy if you already use ChargePoint's public network. Adjustable like the Wallbox (16A–50A hardwired), with a good cable holster. Fine under cover. On a fully exposed wall we'd still pick Grizzl-E or FLO.

*2025–2026 street prices before installation. They move with promotions and exchange rates.

Panel and parking

100A panel

Many Fairfield character homes, 1970s Saanich houses and Esquimalt wartime houses still have 100A service. A 48A charger needs a 60A circuit, and with an electric range and dryer already on the panel the load calculation often fails.

Options: an adjustable charger (Wallbox or ChargePoint) set at 24–32A, an EVEMS such as a DCC unit that pauses the charger when the house load is high, or a service upgrade. 32A adds roughly 40 km of range per hour, enough to fill up overnight. If the panel is the problem, read about panel upgrades before buying a charger.

200A panel

The load calculation usually passes at 48A. Choose based on the app, looks and weather rating.

Garage, carport or driveway

In a garage, anything works, plug-in included. Under a carport, use a holster to keep the connector out of standing water. On a fully exposed wall or post, we recommend Grizzl-E or FLO. They're built for years of wind-driven rain.

Hardwire vs plug-in

A NEMA 14-50 plug-in charger can move with you. It still needs a 50A circuit, the CEC requires GFCI protection on it (a $100+ breaker that can nuisance-trip with some chargers), and outdoors it's one more place for water to get in.

We hardwire by default. It allows the full 48A on adjustable units and removes the receptacle as a failure point. Plug-in makes sense if you rent or expect to move within a couple of years.

Weather and Wi-Fi

Victoria winters are wet rather than cold. The problems we see here are moisture, corroded connectors on cheap units, and cables that stiffen in the cold. All four are NEMA 4 or equivalent.

In my experience, Grizzl-E and FLO have the best record in cold and wet. FLO's cable stays more flexible below 5°C. Wallbox and ChargePoint are reliable under cover.

With BC Hydro's time-varying rates, scheduling overnight charging saves money. Wallbox and ChargePoint have the best apps. FLO's is solid, and the Grizzl-E Smart's is basic.

Detached garages can be at the edge of Wi-Fi range. Offline, the charger still charges but loses scheduling and stats. If you park 20 m from the router, add an extender, or buy the Grizzl-E Classic and schedule from the car.

Rebates and what we'd install

Provincial rebates of up to $2,350 on home EV chargers in select Victoria neighbourhoods, until Dec 31, 2026. The charger must be on the eligible charger list. Rebate programs change and pause with little notice. Check the current rules and the eligible list before you buy. All four brands have had eligible models. The non-smart Grizzl-E Classic is the exception.

A Level 2 install in BC needs a Technical Safety BC electrical permit, and the rebates require one. If a quote has no permit, don't take it.

Our picks:

• Covered parking, 200A panel: ChargePoint or Wallbox, whichever app you like.
• Exposed parking: Grizzl-E for value, FLO if the budget allows.
• Tight 100A panel, no upgrade yet: Wallbox at 32A.
• Two EVs: two Wallboxes with power sharing.

Install process and pricing are on the EV charger service page.

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