JuiceBricks: Company Behind Popular Home EV Chargers Walks Away, Breaking Devices

The maker of the JuiceBox EV charging station said it is ending product support immediately in the US and Canada. Also: Mazda faces backlash on $120 annual remote start subscription.

For the growing numbers of electric vehicle owners in the U.S. and Canada, installing hard-wired, Level 2 EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment) home chargers for their vehicles is critical to making sure that they could safely charge their EV battery overnight. Additionally, Level 2 chargers increase the range of the vehicle per charge compared with a Level 1 charger running off a standard 120v home outlet.

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R2R legislation on Capitol Hill: an update

For many car owners, JuiceBox was a popular choice for their home charging station alongside manufacturers like Tesla or Chargepoint, and retailing for around $600 -not including installation. But the EV owners who opted for JuiceBox’s hardware are likely regretting that decision now, after the company that sells and supports the chargers said it was closing up operations in North America and cutting off support for the software -effectively breaking many of the features of the Juicebox EV chargers.

Enel X said it is abandoning the US market, leaving both businesses and consumers that use its hardware and software in the lurch.

In an undated statement on its web site, Enel X Way North America said it has decided to “close its electric mobility business in the US and Canada, operated by the local subsidiary of Enel X Way USA.” The decision is effective as of next Friday, October 11, 2024.

The company said its decision is in line with “the Enel Group’s strategic approach to e-mobility that pursues further growth by providing bundled offers, including private charging solutions, to its electricity customers as well as by developing public charging infrastructure in countries where it has an electricity retail business.”

A tricky EV market in the US

Because Enel X North America does not have a retail electricity customer base- simply selling charging hardware and software - the company has decided to exit the market. Enel X also cited the “dynamics of the EV market in the US” including “high interest rates which have increased the cost of scaling the charging infrastructure business” as well as “uncertainty” over the future of EV sales growth.

The impact on U.S. and Canadian JuiceBox customers will be severe. According to the company’s own statement, all Enel X Way software will be discontinued causing commercial charging stations that use the company’s hardware to “lose functionality in the absence of software continuity.”

Apps (and features) down the memory hole

For home users, also, the features of their home JuiceBox chargers will be severely reduced. While the devices will still be able to charge electric vehicles, a vast array of software based features will disappear as the company walks away from the Enel X Way App and other Enel e-mobility apps which “will be discontinued and removed from the App Store,” the company said.

As it stands, those apps provide access to a wide range of features such as tracking energy output and charge time for each charging session. They also allow owners to configure customized notifications as well as charge times that take advantage of local utilities that use demand-based electricity pricing.

Ep 13 | Kit Walsh of EFF on the fight to liberate repair by overturning DMCA Section 1201

For customers looking for help charting a path forward…its too late. Enel X customer support is “no longer available, effective immediately,” the company declared in its announced, directing customers with questions and claims to an “information page (available soon).” 🫠

Consumer Reports: smart devices go dumb

The JuiceBox is just the latest connected product that has seen its maker unexpectedly walk away from support. Recent announcements by Spotify that it was abandoning its Car Thing mobile device, as well as toothbrush maker Oral B underscore a growing pattern, and the divergence between hardware- and software lifespans amidst the exploding population of smart, connected products on the Internet of Things is a source of frequent conflict and debate.

Companies Keep Getting Burned For Bricking Products. Don't Expect Them To Stop.

In a recent report, Consumer Reports’ cybersecurity testing team evaluated 21 major appliance brands, assessing their software support policies. The majority of brands surveyed offered what Consumer Reports described as “vague mentions of updates” that lack details. Just three of the brands informed consumers how long they guarantee updates to their appliances’ software and applications, the survey found. Four appliances made by Whirlpool promised to provide updates and notify users when updates were available, while failing to commit to specific length of time for which they will provide updates. Six of the brands Consumer Reports surveyed did not share any of their update policies.

That represents a divergence from the expectations of consumers. A recent Right to Repair Survey of 2,154 U.S. adults by Consumer Reports found that they expect their large appliances to last an average of 12 years with close to 8 in 10 of those surveyed saying that a large appliance should reasonably last ten years (40%) or more (38%).

Despite that, “none of the manufacturers we analyzed make any clear statements that they would support a connected product for the ten years that most consumers expect them to,” Consumer Reports declared.

This ain’t over!

The controversies and disruptions stemming from arbitrary manufacturer End of Life decisions has been the topic of a number of discussions at leading tech events recently including panel discussions on the sidelines of the RSA Conference and at the HOPE XV Conference in July and DEF CON 32 (slides here. video tbd) in August. As more connected products hit the market each year, calls for new rules of the road to govern management and support of the software and services that support them are growing. In fact, we’ve created a non-profit group, Secure Resilient Future Foundation (SRFF) to take on this very issue. Check it out!

Stay tuned for more on this issue in the months ahead!

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Got a repair complaint? Make your voice heard!

Do you have a complaint about a manufacturer who is blocking your effort to repair your product? The Repair Coalition wants to hear about it! Use the link below to talk about the repair obstacles you’ve encountered.

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Other News:

Mazda faces backlash for $10 remote start subscription

Mazda is facing backlash for requiring a subscription to access previously free services like remote start. Mazda now charges $10/month ($120 annually) for app-based remote start, angering long-time customers who previously used it for free.Louis Rossmann, the right-to-repair advocate, criticized the company for locking previously free features behind a paywall, sparking a debate about car ownership and digital rights. A workaround developed by Brandon Rorthweiler’s to bypass Mazda’s subscription was quickly shut down by Mazda via a DMCA takedown notice for copyright infringement. Other automakers, like BMW and Ferrari, are also adopting subscription models for features like adaptive suspension and hybrid battery warranties.

In letter, U.S. Senator calls out Deere for Clean Air Act violations

In a letter last week to U.S. agricultural equipment giant John Deere, Senator Elizabeth Warren accused the company of possibly violating the Clean Air Act and blocking farmers’ right to repair their equipment. Warren claims Deere's restrictions cost farmers $4.2 billion annually due to missed crop windows and delayed repairs. Deere controls a significant portion of the U.S. agricultural equipment market and uses software restrictions to force repairs through its dealers. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and other disruptions, Deere's profits surged 270% in the last four years, while overcharging for repairs. Deere has opposed right-to-repair laws, citing emissions concerns, though advocates argue that the Clean Air Act grants repair rights. Warren’s letter also raises concerns over Deere's failure to honor a 2023 memorandum of understanding, promising to provide repair tools and information to farmers.

Pennsylvania legislature moves right to repair bill forward

Pennsylvania’s House Commerce Committee has approved HB2535, a Right to Repair bill that would allow Keystone State residents access to parts, tools, and information needed to repair electronic devices. The bill aims to cut down on electronic waste, which currently results in 416,000 discarded cell phones daily in the U.S., and helps protect the planet, PIRG noted. If passed, it will be one of the strongest Right to Repair bills in the U.S., banning restrictive practices like "parts pairing" and covering a wide range of electronics. Repair professionals across Pennsylvania have endorsed the bill, urging the full House to pass it for the benefit of people and the environment.

Which iPhones won’t support iOS 18?

Apple’s release of iOS 18, which was unveiled with the iPhone 16 lineup brings lots of new features - many of them powered by artificial intelligence. It also spells the end of the road for a range of older iPhone models.