EV home charger points
Discussion
I’m currently running the numbers to switch out of my 2020 LPG Dacia Duster to an EV. The reasons for this are two fold. The Dacia has proven very cheap to run in 29 months covering 52k miles so far mainly on LPG. It also retains a lot of its value so effectively has cost me £100pm + LPG. It is thought suffering an issue with the car switching to LPG that the franchised dealer has failed to fix for the last 12 months. I also really enjoy an automatic and love the drive of an EV. I cover up to 200miles per day 5 days a week.
The Duster costs me about £15 per day on LPG and with apps like OVO anytime charging 10p per kw a typical 64 kw car will only cost presently a max of £6.40 per day. My journey profile is 50/50 split between motorway and urban driving. My current contract area is Bristol which also seemingly has a hatred for the ICE.
My question as per the thread title is:
Can those with experience recommend or advise on the various available home charging units and experiences of any installers. I would require a “smart” charger as with my projected budget some of the cars I’m looking at (used) are not smart and the OVO app requires smart functionality if I have understood their site. I would be thinking likely tethered and have a good location with off road parking. I would like to get one fitted prior to buying a car.
So chargers the good the bad and the ugly.
The Duster costs me about £15 per day on LPG and with apps like OVO anytime charging 10p per kw a typical 64 kw car will only cost presently a max of £6.40 per day. My journey profile is 50/50 split between motorway and urban driving. My current contract area is Bristol which also seemingly has a hatred for the ICE.
My question as per the thread title is:
Can those with experience recommend or advise on the various available home charging units and experiences of any installers. I would require a “smart” charger as with my projected budget some of the cars I’m looking at (used) are not smart and the OVO app requires smart functionality if I have understood their site. I would be thinking likely tethered and have a good location with off road parking. I would like to get one fitted prior to buying a car.
So chargers the good the bad and the ugly.
If you're fussed about aesthetics, Simpson & Partners or Andersen probably look the most premium..
If you're less fussy, Ohme will have all the functionality you need to work with the smart tariffs, alternatively a Zappi is very functionally capable if you want a particularly "complicated" integrated system with storage/PV etc. etc.
If you're less fussy, Ohme will have all the functionality you need to work with the smart tariffs, alternatively a Zappi is very functionally capable if you want a particularly "complicated" integrated system with storage/PV etc. etc.
I’ve got the EO Mini Pro 3, this is a ‘smart’ charger and has everything I’d require. The reason I went for it is the size as it’s tiny! Also the solar capabilities instead of having a huge Zappi unit.
The install was really quick and so far the app has been great.
I’m also on the Octopus EV Tariff which works great.
The install was really quick and so far the app has been great.
I’m also on the Octopus EV Tariff which works great.
Had an Andersen at the old house and the app functionality was good, until they went bust. Although since trading again, then app has never worked as well or as reliably as previously.
After moving house in February, went for a Simpson & Partners. Customer service was exceptional. Got my own electrician to fit it, as I was having other major electrical works done as part of the wider house refurb. Works brilliantly and looks good, though the cable doesn’t coil away inside like the Andersen did. Went with the matching S&P cable hook, which is a bit pricey for what it is, but looks better than a bit of wood or similar.
Had a Pod Point in the past (it was free at the time, so it would have been rude not to); and it charged okay, but offered nothing like the functionality of the Andersen or S&P.
I would say that your greater concern should be finding a used EV that will deliver a reliable 200+miles every day in all seasons and weathers. There are a number that will do so between May and September, but still not many that will do so all winter (not under £100k anyway).
Hope this helps Mike.
After moving house in February, went for a Simpson & Partners. Customer service was exceptional. Got my own electrician to fit it, as I was having other major electrical works done as part of the wider house refurb. Works brilliantly and looks good, though the cable doesn’t coil away inside like the Andersen did. Went with the matching S&P cable hook, which is a bit pricey for what it is, but looks better than a bit of wood or similar.
Had a Pod Point in the past (it was free at the time, so it would have been rude not to); and it charged okay, but offered nothing like the functionality of the Andersen or S&P.
I would say that your greater concern should be finding a used EV that will deliver a reliable 200+miles every day in all seasons and weathers. There are a number that will do so between May and September, but still not many that will do so all winter (not under £100k anyway).
Hope this helps Mike.
Mikebentley said:
Looked at Anderson but seemingly not smart. Do look better though.
Depends on what you mean by ‘smart’. The Andersen has an app and you can schedule (multiple) timers on it. You can also turn the charger on and off via the app, and get reports of usage. It can’t react to price changing tariffs such as Octopus Agile, nor can it do fancy things with Solar like Zappis can.
distinctivedesign said:
Had an Andersen at the old house and the app functionality was good, until they went bust. Although since trading again, then app has never worked as well or as reliably as previously.
After moving house in February, went for a Simpson & Partners. Customer service was exceptional. Got my own electrician to fit it, as I was having other major electrical works done as part of the wider house refurb. Works brilliantly and looks good, though the cable doesn’t coil away inside like the Andersen did. Went with the matching S&P cable hook, which is a bit pricey for what it is, but looks better than a bit of wood or similar.
Had a Pod Point in the past (it was free at the time, so it would have been rude not to); and it charged okay, but offered nothing like the functionality of the Andersen or S&P.
I would say that your greater concern should be finding a used EV that will deliver a reliable 200+miles every day in all seasons and weathers. There are a number that will do so between May and September, but still not many that will do so all winter (not under £100k anyway).
Hope this helps Mike.
Great responses everyone. After moving house in February, went for a Simpson & Partners. Customer service was exceptional. Got my own electrician to fit it, as I was having other major electrical works done as part of the wider house refurb. Works brilliantly and looks good, though the cable doesn’t coil away inside like the Andersen did. Went with the matching S&P cable hook, which is a bit pricey for what it is, but looks better than a bit of wood or similar.
Had a Pod Point in the past (it was free at the time, so it would have been rude not to); and it charged okay, but offered nothing like the functionality of the Andersen or S&P.
I would say that your greater concern should be finding a used EV that will deliver a reliable 200+miles every day in all seasons and weathers. There are a number that will do so between May and September, but still not many that will do so all winter (not under £100k anyway).
Hope this helps Mike.
Looking at a Kia Niro or Kona presently as advertised range is up to 285 so some margin there. I may push the budget depending on what my accountant advises me. Sole trader presently and currently just claim mileage. Considered leasing again but my mileage makes that a no go I think. The OVO Anytime tariff appeals to me but the list of vehicles is restrictive so believe if I get a smart charger ( sorry that’s the term I have seen used) I can use a car not on their list.
Just had the Ohme ePod installed, replacing a 2015 vintage Rolec. The Ohme is tiny, neat and inoffensive looking - I'm not sure stylish is it's thing, but it's a plastic and metal box to hold a cable connector, so there are probably limits. The "smart" aspect works well, and in our case links seamlessly to Intelligent Octopus. Construction quality feels good and I expect it to last.
I was a bit shocked to have to pay proper money this time! The charger was completely free first time round between various incentives and it only cost me for a bit of armoured cable!
I was a bit shocked to have to pay proper money this time! The charger was completely free first time round between various incentives and it only cost me for a bit of armoured cable!
You don't need a smart charger with Ovo Anytime, but you will need a compatible car.
We've just got a simple Podpoint Solo3 - not smart, but our car was on the Ovo list. You just pair the car's app with the Ovo Anytime app and then geo-locate your home charging location and off you go.
I've been pleasantly surprised how robust the system has been (you watch I'll have jinxed it now). No problems at all in nearly 6000 miles of charging. The car has always been fully charged by the next morning using exclusively 'smart' charging i.e. 10p rate. We were on a fixed rate tariff of 17.9p/kWh until yesterday and have been rebated around £80 even at that smaller discrepancy since mid March. With letting it drift onto variable tariff now this will be over £100 per month rebate.
We've just got a simple Podpoint Solo3 - not smart, but our car was on the Ovo list. You just pair the car's app with the Ovo Anytime app and then geo-locate your home charging location and off you go.
I've been pleasantly surprised how robust the system has been (you watch I'll have jinxed it now). No problems at all in nearly 6000 miles of charging. The car has always been fully charged by the next morning using exclusively 'smart' charging i.e. 10p rate. We were on a fixed rate tariff of 17.9p/kWh until yesterday and have been rebated around £80 even at that smaller discrepancy since mid March. With letting it drift onto variable tariff now this will be over £100 per month rebate.
Edited by plfrench on Friday 2nd June 09:09
plfrench said:
You don't need a smart charger with Ovo Anytime, but you will need a compatible car.
We've just got a simple Podpoint Solo3 - not smart, but our car was on the Ovo list. You just pair the car's app with the Ovo Anytime app and then geo-locate your home charging location and off you go.
I've been pleasantly surprised how robust the system has been (you watch I'll have jinxed it now). No problems at all in nearly 6000 miles of charging. The car has always been fully charged by the next morning using exclusively 'smart' charging i.e. 10p rate. We were on a fixed rate tariff of 17.9p/kWh until yesterday and have been rebated around £80 even at that smaller discrepancy since mid March. With letting it drift onto variable tariff now this will be over £100 per month rebate.
The cars I am looking at are not on the list so apologies if I have misunderstood but I would therefore need a smart charger.We've just got a simple Podpoint Solo3 - not smart, but our car was on the Ovo list. You just pair the car's app with the Ovo Anytime app and then geo-locate your home charging location and off you go.
I've been pleasantly surprised how robust the system has been (you watch I'll have jinxed it now). No problems at all in nearly 6000 miles of charging. The car has always been fully charged by the next morning using exclusively 'smart' charging i.e. 10p rate. We were on a fixed rate tariff of 17.9p/kWh until yesterday and have been rebated around £80 even at that smaller discrepancy since mid March. With letting it drift onto variable tariff now this will be over £100 per month rebate.
Edited by plfrench on Friday 2nd June 09:09
I have had the Andersen for 3.5 years and it's been great. It is a smart charger - we are on the Octopus Intelligent rate. The app is simple to use and we use it to charge both my Tesla M3 LR and wife's Kona 64kwh.
It is still the best looking charger, and seems to be very well built.
It is still the best looking charger, and seems to be very well built.
Fastlane said:
I have had the Andersen for 3.5 years and it's been great. It is a smart charger - we are on the Octopus Intelligent rate. The app is simple to use and we use it to charge both my Tesla M3 LR and wife's Kona 64kwh.
It is still the best looking charger, and seems to be very well built.
I agree the Anderson and the Simpson & Partners are lovely looking things. I think the S & P edges it on materials used and variety of choices but the Anderson tethered cable storage is neater.It is still the best looking charger, and seems to be very well built.
Danm1les said:
Mikebentley said:
Anybody know any installers in Worcestershire or is it something my electrician can do?
I believe most electricians are up to speed these days.
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