Enphase is best known for solar micro-inverters, but it’s also been in the EV charger business since 2022, when it bought EVSE pioneer ClipperCreek — and it now sells three genuinely different charger lineups under names similar enough to confuse a search result: the legacy ClipperCreek-derived IQ 40 and IQ 50, and the newer flagship IQ EV Charger 2. This guide sorts out which one is actually worth buying, and flags the fourth Enphase charger you’ll find advertised but can’t order yet.
Enphase EV chargers by the numbers
- January 3, 2022 — the date Enphase completed its acquisition of ClipperCreek, a California EVSE maker that had sold more than 110,000 Level 2 chargers since 2006, per Enphase’s own newsroom announcement. The IQ 40 and IQ 50 are that hardware, renamed.
- $999-$1,124 — the retailer-listed price range for the IQ EV Charger 2’s 40A and 48A configurations, cross-checked across Enphase-authorized distributor and Amazon listings; pricing varies noticeably by seller and connector option, so verify current cost before ordering.
- 48A / 11.5 kW is the IQ EV Charger 2’s ceiling — a real jump over the IQ 50’s 40A/9.6kW top end, and enough for roughly 35-44 miles of range per hour at 240V.
- 5-year warranty on every current Enphase charger (IQ 40, IQ 50, and IQ EV Charger 2), per Enphase’s own product pages — longer than the 2-3 years typical of budget rivals on this site.
- 11.5 kW bidirectional is the figure Enphase quotes for its announced-but-unshipped IQ Bidirectional Charger, which requires an ISO 15118-compliant EV and either an IQ Meter Collar or an IQ Battery to work, per Enphase’s own product page.
Enphase lineup compared
| Model | Best for | Max output | Connector | App / Wi-Fi | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IQ EV Charger 2 | Best overall / Enphase solar owners | 48A / 11.5 kW hardwired (40A plug-in) | J1772 or NACS | Enlighten app, Wi-Fi + Bluetooth | ~$999-$1,124 |
| IQ 50 (ex-ClipperCreek HCS-50) | Best value 40A | 40A / 9.6 kW | J1772 | Enphase app, Wi-Fi | ~$888-$900 |
| IQ 40 (ex-ClipperCreek HCS-40) | Budget / smaller circuits | 32A / 7.7 kW | J1772 | Enphase app, Wi-Fi | ~$779-$805 |
| IQ Bidirectional Charger | V2H/V2G (not yet buyable) | 11.5 kW bidirectional | Not published | Enphase app | Not announced |
1. Enphase IQ EV Charger 2 — Best Overall
Enphase IQ EV Charger 2
- Single SKU covers up to a 60A breaker — a 40A NEMA 14-50 plug-in configuration and a 48A hardwired configuration, both with a 25-foot cable.
- Green Charging mode automatically prioritizes solar surplus when paired with an existing Enphase solar/battery system, adjusting output in 1-amp steps.
- Revenue-grade metering, which some utility rebate programs require for paperwork — a feature the cheaper IQ 40/IQ 50 don't advertise.
- Field-replaceable J1772/NACS connector head per Enphase's own spec sheet, though most current US Amazon listings we found are J1772-only — confirm connector availability before ordering if you need NACS.
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The IQ EV Charger 2 is the charger to buy if you already own Enphase microinverters or an IQ Battery — it’s the only Enphase EVSE that talks to the same Enlighten app managing your solar production, and its Green Charging mode can shift charging into daylight hours automatically instead of you manually watching a separate solar-monitoring app. Compare its 48A ceiling against our best 48-amp EV charger rankings if solar integration isn’t the deciding factor for you — on raw price-per-amp, ChargePoint and Tesla both undercut it.
2. Enphase IQ 50 — Best Value 40A
Enphase IQ 50 (formerly ClipperCreek HCS-50)
- The renamed ClipperCreek HCS-50, one of the most field-proven EVSE designs in the category — ClipperCreek sold this hardware for years before the Enphase acquisition.
- Sold in hardwired, NEMA 14-50 plug-in, and NEMA 6-50 plug-in versions, all 40A/9.6kW.
- Enphase app adds scheduling on top of the same rugged hardware ClipperCreek was known for.
- No solar-surplus Green Charging mode and no NACS option — those are IQ EV Charger 2 exclusives.
At roughly $888-$900, the IQ 50 doesn’t actually undercut the IQ EV Charger 2’s 40A configuration by much — the gap that matters is features, not price. If Green Charging and revenue-grade metering don’t matter to you and you just want 40A of proven, no-drama hardware with a 5-year warranty, the IQ 50 is the better buy; if the prices land close together, the IQ EV Charger 2’s extra 8A of headroom and app polish usually wins the tiebreak.
3. Enphase IQ 40 — Budget / Smaller Circuits
Enphase IQ 40 (formerly ClipperCreek HCS-40)
- The renamed ClipperCreek HCS-40 — same 32A/7.7kW output ClipperCreek shipped for years, now under Enphase branding and app.
- Available hardwired or with a NEMA 14-50/NEMA 6-50 plug, same 25-foot cable as the IQ 50.
- The right call for a 40A circuit or a panel that can't spare more, or as a second charger for a lower-priority vehicle.
- Some older Amazon listings still carry the pre-rename "HCS-40"/"HCS-50" model numbers without Wi-Fi branding — check for "Smart" or "Wi-Fi Connected" in the listing title before assuming app support ships in the box.
The IQ 40 is a fine charger, but at 32A it’s slower than most of this site’s other budget picks — the Grizzl-E Classic matches its price tier at 40A. Buy the IQ 40 specifically if you’re already inside the Enphase ecosystem and want app consistency, not because it’s the cheapest way to 32A on the market.
Where’s the smart, bidirectional Enphase?
Enphase’s own site advertises an IQ Bidirectional Charger — up to 11.5 kW of two-way vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) power exchange, managed through the same Enphase App that runs its solar and battery hardware, requiring only an IQ Meter Collar (no separate home battery strictly needed, though an IQ Battery adds backup even when the car isn’t plugged in). Enphase’s product page lists it as launching in 2026.
As of this guide’s research, it isn’t a purchasable listing anywhere we checked. It also only works with EVs that are themselves ISO 15118-compliant and support bidirectional power flow — a smaller list than the EVs any of the three chargers above can charge. If whole-home backup power is what you actually need today, don’t wait on an announced Enphase product; see our best bidirectional EV charger guide for hardware shipping right now.
How to pick the right Enphase charger
- Already own Enphase solar or a battery? Get the IQ EV Charger 2. Green Charging and the shared Enlighten app are real conveniences you lose with the IQ 40/IQ 50.
- Just want a reliable 40A charger and no ecosystem tie-in? The IQ 50 costs close to the same as the IQ EV Charger 2’s 40A configuration for less brand-new hardware, but it’s built on ClipperCreek’s long field record.
- Working with a smaller circuit or a second charger? The IQ 40 covers a 40A breaker at 32A output for the lowest price in the lineup.
- Don’t buy expecting bidirectional backup soon. The IQ Bidirectional Charger is announced, not shipping — check our EV charger installation requirements guide for what any of the three current chargers actually needs from your panel instead.
- Double-check the model number before buying used or via a third-party seller. “HCS-40,” “HCS-50,” “IQ 40,” and “IQ 50” can all describe closely related hardware at different feature tiers — match the listing’s stated amperage and Wi-Fi claim to what you actually need.
Verdict
The best Enphase EV charger for most buyers in 2026 is the IQ EV Charger 2 at roughly $999-$1,124 — it’s the only current Enphase charger with solar-surplus Green Charging, a NACS option, and the deepest tie to the Enlighten app that Enphase solar/battery owners already use. If you don’t need that ecosystem integration, the ClipperCreek-derived IQ 50 (roughly $888-$900, 40A) and IQ 40 (~$779-$805, 32A) are proven, lower-cost alternatives — just don’t assume they’re older generations of the flagship, because Enphase sells all three side by side today. And don’t shop for the advertised IQ Bidirectional Charger yet; it’s announced for 2026 but not a purchasable listing as of this guide’s research. For a charger that already ships with V2H power, see our best bidirectional EV charger guide, and for the wider field of smart Level 2 options, our best smart EV charger guide ranks Enphase against ChargePoint, Wallbox, Autel, and Tesla.