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The ClipperCreek HCS-40P EV Charger Ultimate Review

It's one of the most popular units on the market today.

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Tom Moloughney Tom Moloughney

By: Tom Moloughney

Mar 17, 2021 at 12:56pm ET

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The ClipperCreek HCS-40P is one of the most popular electric vehicle chargers in North America today. So we got one on loan from ClipperCreek to use for a few weeks before we offered our thoughts on this well-known EVSE.

ClipperCreek is truly a pioneer in electric vehicle charging and has been making EVSE since 2006. They were selected by Tesla to make the charging equipment for the original Tesla Roadster in 2008 and for BMW's MINI-E program in 2009. In fact, nobody has been making EV charging solutions longer than ClipperCreek has. 

But has the industry passed them by? ClipperCreek doesn't offer WiFi-connected smart chargers. Their products are all "dumb" units that simply charge the vehicle, without any bells and whistles. Many of ClipperCreek's prime competitors offer smart-charging solutions that allow the user to set charging schedules, set up notifications, view charging history, and even connect with your smart home through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. 

ClipperCreek HCS-D40P (plug-in dual charging station)

We don't think so. That's because many EV owners shopping for EVSE are simply looking for a tough, dependable unit, that will charge their EV quickly and last a long time. ClipperCreek products will do that just fine.

Notable points in the video:

ClipperCreek offers many different EV charging options, so many in fact that it can be confusing when you're ordering as their products are available in a variety of models and power levels. I choose to review the HCS line because it's the model that I get the most questions about. I then asked for the HCS-40P, which is a 32-amp unit that can deliver up to 7.7 kW to the vehicle. That is good to deliver roughly 21 to 30 miles of range per hour, depending on the efficiency of your EV.

ClipperCreek's HSC line is available in 24-amp, 32-amp, 40-amp, 48-amp, and 64-amp versions. The 24, 32, and 40-amp units are available in plug-in or hardwired versions, but the 48 and 64-amp units need to be hardwired. If the model has a "P" at the end, like the unit I received, it has a plug. The customer also gets to choose between a NEMA 14-50 or NEMA 6-50 plug configuration when ordering.  

One thing we point out in the video is that the number in ClipperCreek's product name isn't the amount of power it can deliver to the vehicle, as one might assume. It's actually representative of the minimum circuit amperage that the unit needs to be wired to. In the case of the HCS-40P, it needs to be wired on a dedicated 40-amp circuit. The unit can deliver a maximum of 32-amps.

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We mention that because EV charging equipment from other EVSE companies often use the amperage the unit can deliver in the product name, for example, the Enel JuiceBox 40. That unit can deliver 40-amps, and need to be wired on a 50-amp dedicated circuit. So if you're cross-shopping ClipperCreek products with EVSE from other manufacturers, look beyond the product name, and make sure the amperage the units can deliver are the same. 

The HCS-40P didn't fare well in our cable deep freeze test and failed to unravel easily when frozen, which is common when we do these tests. The cable on the ChargePoint Home Flex remains to be the best for extreme cold weather applications. 

The ClipperCreek HCS-40 is safety certified and Energy Star rated. It has a NEMA-4 enclosure for excellent protection from the elements and comes standard with a long 25-foot cable and all ClipperCreek products are made in the USA.  

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When we plugged the ClipperCreek into our ChargerRater scorecard it scored 81 points, which translates into a score of 4.05 out of 5 stars. Our personal score was 4.55 stars so the average gave the ClipperCreek HCS-40P a respectable final score of 4.3 stars out of 5. 

The ClipperCreek HCS-40P is available from ClipperCreek's website for $589.00. If you prefer the hardwired version, the HCS-40 costs $24 less, at $565.00. 

Source: State of Charge

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