What are the best home charging accessories for a Cadillac LYRIQ?

Question

So I finally picked up my 2024 Sport 3 and I thought my old NEMA 14-50 setup from my Bolt would be totally fine but its just not cutting it for the Lyriq. My logic was that a 40 amp charger would be plenty but with that massive 102kWh battery it feels like it takes ages to top off after my daily commute from Naperville into the city. Plus the charging port location is so weird—it's way up front on the drivers side which is making my current cable a huge trip hazard across the garage floor.

I definitely need some kind of overhead cable management or maybe a super flexible 25ft cord that wont get stiff when it hits zero degrees here in Chicago. I was looking at the Ultium Powerup station but it's pricey and I keep hearing mixed things about the app functionality. Is it worth getting a hardwired Grizzl-E instead for the cold weather durability? I need to get this sorted by next Friday before my family arrives for the holidays and we start doing longer day trips. My budget is roughly $900 for the hardware but I'm stuck on whether I actually need the full 19.2 kW speeds or if that's just overkill for daily use. What are you guys using to keep the cable tidy and the charging speeds actually decent?

mtxlwzpzly · Accepted Answer

@Reply #1 - good point! 19.2kW is definitely a niche use case and most homes around here cant even handle the 100 amp circuit required for that without a massive service upgrade anyway. Ive been using the Wallbox Pulsar Plus 48A Level 2 EV Charger for two winters now and honestly couldnt be more satisfied. The cable is way more flexible in the Chicago cold than the cheap ones that come with the car, which basically turn into frozen garden hoses. Since that Lyriq port is so far forward, you might want to look at a ceiling mount. I set up a Sidewinder EV Cable Retractor and it basically solved the trip hazard issue instantly. It keeps everything tidy and out of the slush. Compared to the pricey Ultium station, something like the Emporia Level 2 EV Charger 48 Amp gives you much better app data for half the price. Hardwiring it at 48 amps gets you 11.5kW which is plenty to fill that massive 102kWh battery overnight while you sleep... totally doable on your budget.

fqrumqmwnp · Answer

Congrats on the Sport 3! That Lyriq is an amazing ride but yeah, that port location is a literal trip hazard. I went through the same thing and honestly, 19.2kW is total overkill for daily use, ngl. Just hardwire a ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV Charger 50A on a 60A breaker to get that 11.5kW speed. It makes a huge difference over the 40A plug-in units! For the cable mess, I swear by the EVoReel EV Charging Cable Retractor 30ft mounted to the ceiling. It keeps the cord off the floor so nobody trips while walking around. The Grizzl-E Classic Level 2 EV Charger 40A 24ft Cable is also a fantastic choice if you want something bulletproof for those brutal Chicago winters. The cable stays super flexible even when it is freezing! Youll be totally ready for those holiday trips by next week. Love the setup!

Ever Eddy · Answer

Like someone mentioned, that 19.2kW thing is mostly marketing hype for most folks! I totally agree that hardwiring is the way to go tho. When I first got my setup, I was trying to squeeze every bit of juice out of my 50 amp circuit and honestly... the heat coming off the junction box was actually kinda scary during a full overnight session. It really hit me how much current these things draw for ten hours straight. Safety first, right?! I love how much faster the level 2 is but you gotta respect that 80 percent continuous load rule. I learned the hard way that a cheap cable I tried using as a temp fix basically turned into a stiff plastic rod once the temp dropped below zero. Now I just use a heavy duty cord that stays flexible. My current cable management is a simple overhead pulley system I rigged up and it saved my shins from so many bruises!