With Enel X Way Closing, What Should You Do if You Own a JuiceBox EV Charger?
The company’s sudden exit from North America and an open investigation into fires and malfunctions leaves owners in the lurch
If you own a JuiceBox electric vehicle charger, you might have to change the way you charge. Enel X Way North America, JuiceBox’s parent company, announced that it is shutting down operations in the U.S. and Canada. Initially, 120,000 owners were going to lose access to smart charging, phone apps, and customer service. But a last-minute agreement with a third-party administrator will keep EV charging software operating—at least for now, according to the company.
In addition, days after Enel X Way’s announcement, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into JuiceBox chargers after a series of consumer complaints about electrical fires and malfunctions. One complaint alleges that using a JuiceBox charger led to an explosion that burned down a house, and another claims a car caught fire in a driveway while charging with a JuiceBox.
Can You Still Use Your JuiceBox Charger?
Yes. According to Enel X Way, individuals who have a JuiceBox installed at home can still charge their cars. The JuiceBox app and connectivity features will continue to work for an "extended period," thanks to an agreement between the current software operator and B. Riley Advisory Services, the third-party firm handling the dissolution of Enel X Way’s North American business. According to Enel X Way, its assets—including customer management of 120,000 residential customers and 25,000 commercial customers—will be auctioned off later in October. If all goes according to plan, existing JuiceBox hardware will transition to new software provided by the winning bidder.
Initially, we were concerned about the ability to change settings, including maximum charging output, but this issue appears to be settled for now. If an EV charger resets to a higher default maximum charging output than a circuit is capable of, it could trip your circuit breaker and cause a fire risk. (Note that the JuiceBox Pro 48 should be hardwired on a 60-amp circuit breaker, which should minimize the fire risk.) We contacted Enel X Way and its parent company, Enel, to ask more about software limitations, but did not receive a response.
How Do You Schedule Charging Without a Smart Charger?
For now, JuiceBox owners can still use their apps. But even if JuiceBox chargers eventually lose their smart functionality, the good news is that nearly all EVs come with built-in settings that replicate those same features.
“If you’re trying to take advantage of incentives or lower electric rates that your utility might offer for off-peak charging, you can usually schedule charging on your vehicle’s infotainment screen or through the car’s smartphone app,” says Gabe Shenhar, associate director of CR’s auto test program.
In some cases, EV owners who receive a recurring discount from their utility provider for enabling communication with a smart charger will still be able to do so if their JuiceBox turns into a “dumb” charger, as long as their vehicle is also eligible.
CR spoke with several major utility providers who told us they are still working on solutions for existing JuiceBox users. We will update this article when we have more information.
Consumer Reports Consumer Reports
What About Commercial JuiceBox Chargers?
Enel X Way says that commercial charging stations will remain working during an interim period until a new operator can be found. A third party, ChargeLab, says it is working on solutions to ensure that JuiceBox workplace, fleet, and commercial charging stations will continue to operate even after their servers are disconnected. Operators of these chargers should contact ChargeLab directly.
What About Repairs and Warranty Coverage?
We’re not sure yet. According to Enel X Way North America, the company will no longer accept service requests and is in the process of appointing an “experienced third party” to manage any remaining obligations. The company says that further information will be provided on a claims information page, which is not yet available. We reached out to Enel X Way, Enel, and the claims email listed on Enel X Way’s home page to find out more, but have not heard back. Outstanding JuiceBox orders will not be fulfilled.
If you purchased your JuiceBox recently, you may be able to return it to a retailer or take advantage of a credit card’s warranty coverage benefit if something goes wrong. If you experience a safety issue with your charger, you can submit a complaint to NHTSA. If you’re looking for a new charger, we’ve had good experiences with several alternatives.
Ultimately, the responsibility for continued functionality should fall on Enel X Way, says Stacey Higginbotham, policy fellow at Consumer Reports. Manufacturers of software-tethered products should set aside money to support future warranty coverage or to reimburse owners for lost functionality.
“You can’t squeeze blood from a turnip, which is why having an escrow set aside for support and maintenance is the right thing to do,” she says.
App-free usability could even be factored into the product design, such as including fundamental controls on the device itself.
Photo: Nissan Photo: Nissan
Can You Update You JuiceBox Software Yourself?
Kind of. A group of JuiceBox owners put together Juice Rescue, a community dedicated to creating software that replaces some smart features and putting pressure on Enel X Way to release source code and intellectual property.
Higginbotham says similar community efforts have helped “rescue” other orphaned products in the past, but warns that they aren’t usually geared to average consumers who expect a plug-and-play experience. “Sure, it can be done, but it’s usually done by tech-savvy hobbyists,” she says.
