How we evaluate products

Every guide on ChargedMods is research-based. We don't claim hands-on testing we haven't done — see About for why that matters to us. Here is exactly what does happen before a product appears in a guide.

1. Start from what people actually need

Guides are scoped around a real buying decision — "which floor mats fit a Juniper", "does an EV-specific tire earn its premium" — rather than around whatever has the highest commission. If a category has no meaningful decision in it, we don't manufacture one.

2. Verify fitment first

Fitment is where most EV accessory purchases go wrong, so it's the first filter, not the last. We check the model years, trims and body configurations a part is cut for, and we call out the traps explicitly:

• Model 3 Highland and Model Y Juniper refreshes broke compatibility with many earlier parts
• 5-seat vs 6/7-seat layouts need different floor coverage entirely
• Tires are bought by size and load rating, never by car name
• Tesla OE tire markings (T0/T1/T2) make a same-size tire a different product

3. Read the specification, not the marketing

We work from manufacturer specifications and listing details: materials and construction, dimensions and coverage, installation method, and what the warranty actually covers. Where a claim is the seller's rather than something we can confirm, we attribute it — "the manufacturer lists it as", "per the listing" — instead of restating it as fact.

A recurring example: "carbon fiber" on a listing can mean real woven carbon or a carbon-look pattern moulded into ABS plastic. Those are different products at different prices, and we always say which one you're looking at.

4. Weigh the trade-off honestly

Every pick gets a written set of pros and cons, including the reasons not to buy it. Where a cheaper option gives up little that matters, we say so plainly — even when the pricier product earns more commission. A guide that recommends everything is useless.

5. Date every price

Product prices come from Amazon's catalog data and are shown with the date we recorded them. Amazon pricing moves constantly, so a dated figure tells you how stale the number might be, and the "Check price" button always goes to the live listing.

What we never do

• Invent testing. No fabricated hands-on experience, no imagined long-term use.
• Invent ratings. If we don't hold a star rating or review count, we omit it rather than publish a number that looks authoritative.
• Rank by commission. Payout rates play no part in ordering or selection.
• Accept paid placement. No brand has ever paid to appear in a guide, and none can.
• Hide the affiliate relationship. It's disclosed on every article, in the footer, and on a dedicated page.

Keeping guides current

Guides get revisited when the facts change — a refresh breaks fitment, a product is discontinued, or pricing moves enough to change the recommendation. Updated guides show an "Updated" date instead of the original publication date.

If you spot something out of date or wrong, please tell us — corrections are the cheapest way to keep this useful.