Electric cars are becoming more and more popular every day. Up to the end of July, almost 130,000 new EVs have been sold this year, which is a 50% increase on the first seven months last year.
But the reality remains that an electric vehicle is a far more viable option if you’re able to charge it off-street at home, rather than relying on the public charging network. The electricity is much cheaper and you can charge your car while you sleep, rather than having to sit around waiting for your car to charge while you’re out and about.
The same, of course, applies to plug-in hybrids since their smaller batteries are more likely to require charging every day if you want to get the maximum benefit from them.
And if you’re charging at home, you really need a wallbox rather than relying on a standard three-pin plug socket. While you can charge your car this way, it’s slower and more hazardous if your home’s wiring isn’t up to scratch. A wallbox is pretty much a must-have.
Inevitably, even relatively early on in the current EV revolution, there are already many suppliers offering home charging solutions and it can be a task trying to decide which one is best for you.
For most households, a 7kW wallbox is sufficient since that’s all your home electricity installation is likely to be able to supply. If you’re lucky enough to have three-phase power, you can probably get a 22kW wallbox which will charge your car significantly faster.
Here The Car Expert looks at some of the best websites offering advice and equipment for drivers looking to charge up at home – as well as one to avoid.
Please note that several of the companies listed below have an asterisk next to their name – they are commercial partners of The Car Expert, which means that we may get a small commission if you click through to their website. This doesn’t affect the deals you are offered or the price you pay; it just helps us to keep running our site.
Myenergi*
They say: Energy independence has arrived.
Myenergi’s goal is to optimise electric power use at home. The charger is the Zappi, a ‘smart’ unit with a difference – it can either be used to charge your car using power from the grid or, via optional charging modes, it can use 100% green energy generated from your own solar panels or wind turbines. Harnessing your own power, says Myenergi, means you can charge your car for free.
The Zappi comes with three charging modes – fast charge (quick power from renewable energy and the grid), eco mode (green energy plus grid power to top up if needed) and eco+ mode (continuously monitored to pause car charging if there is too much consumption elsewhere in your house).
You can set timers for charging at the most economical periods, there’s remote access to control the device from anywhere in the world and the unit is pincode protected to prevent other people using the equipment uninvited.
Zappi costs from £779 and comes with a three-year warranty. Choose from 7kW single-phase or 22kW three-phase. There’s an option online to request a ‘fully installed’ quote.
Go Zero Charge*
They say: Reliable. Powerful. Simple.
Go Zero aims to cut out EV jargon and replace it with simplicity. Its home charger is called the Optimus EV, a 7kW unit which comes complete with a five-metre cable as standard. It’s wi-fi enabled for remote use and has an optional 4G set-up as well. You can schedule your charging times to find the best rates, follow your real-time usage, and even make money from the unit.
Go Zero helps you to ‘lease’ your charger to other users, who reserve it in advance using the Go Zero app. The company monitors this use and pays you through the app. This, says Go Zero, is an environmental and efficient use of the charger, and helps drivers without off-street charging, to power up their car more conveniently.
It costs £799, which includes a free survey to establish what work is required to fit the device and, therefore, the installation cost. If you’re happy with the quote, you arrange a date for fitting by an authorised installer, available six days a week. The Optimus comes with a three-year guarantee.
Easee
They say: Small. Smart. Full of power.
Established in Norway in 2018, Easee’s mission is to create the world’s smartest EV charger. It’s UK office is based in Glasgow.
The landing page tells you about the company’s ‘Charging Robot’ which it says will take the place of a power grid in the future and act like an electricity valve, distributing power more efficiently and using existing capacity where possible. The page gives three options: home charging, apartment blocks and commercial buildings.
The company has developed Easee One, a 7kW charger specifically for the UK domestic market. It claims to offer more power, smarter control and higher security, and it automatically works out what power your car requires.
There’s an app to help you control the charger and set up charging sessions, and other features are explained such as charging three connected cars at the same time with the technology distributing the power automatically between the vehicles. A Q&A section deals with other queries and an accessories page offers cables, an aluminium post for several chargers and a U-hook to keep your cable in place.
No prices are given but there is a ‘Quote’ button in which you complete your details and an estimate is sent to you. The site also includes advice about claiming for government grants (mostly for people living in apartment buildings, rather than having their own private space for off-street charging).
Andersen
They say: The UK’s premium charging point
Andersen is the premium brand spin-off from Evios (see below). Its Andersen A2 charging point is positioned as a premium product, with an emphasis on design that can either complement or contrast with your house. Also like the Evios charger, Andersen designs and builds all its charging points here in the UK.
The A2 comes in either 7kW or 22kW versions, depending on your home power supply (for most households, it’s 7kW). It’s a tethered design, meaning it comes with a cable rather than just a plug. This is handy, as it means you don’t need to get your cable out of your car every time you get home. Standard is a 5.5-metre cable, but you can also get 6.5- or 8.5-metre lengths at extra cost, which is great if the cable has to stretch past another car to reach your EV.
Impressively, the cable is completely hidden within the wallbox when it’s not in use, so the average person in the street never know it was a charging box. There are 14 different colour and material options for the front panel, and nine choices of colour for the wallbox body, meaning you can choose from 126 colour combinations to either blend in or stand out. Regardless of which you choose, it will look clean and minimalist on your wall.
There’s also a smart charging app called Kønnect+, which lets you schedule charging times, track your charging costs or even lock your charging point while you’re away so no-one else can plug into it and steal your electricity.
The Andersen A2 starts at £1,595 fully installed.
Egg
They say: Say hello to hassle-free charging
Egg began its journey ten years ago when it set about making life easier for people to get the most out of the sun and solar power. The company designs and installs solar panels for homes, but it also provides home charging options for EV owners.
It all sounds very easy as you land on the Egg page. Simply sign up to the Egg EV charger plan online, request a socket-only charger or one with a cable attached, and Egg asks where you want to install it. Pick an install date, up to a year in advance, and they take care of the rest.
For £27.50 a month (£24.50 for the charger and standard installation, and £3 for the Egg Plus plan) you get an EV charger installed, a management system to look after it and a charging app. It’s a three-year deal and if anything goes wrong with the charger during that time, Egg promises to repair or replace it. When the original three-year loan period ends, you get to keep the charger and can continue with the £3 a month plan to keep the equipment covered against damage or failure.
The site explains in full how the app works, all about the repair or replace guarantee, the way in which equipment is installed and offers a way to spread the cost of the charger over three years.
EO
They say: We power people
EO is on a mission to be the world’s leader in charging vehicle fleets and offer a business charging box to large companies. But, coming soon is the company’s latest domestic charger called Mini Pro 3. It will be made in the UK, like EO’s other products, and is destined for shipping to more than 35 countries.
Small – about the size of an A5 notebook – the new Pro 3 is neat, tidy and good-looking. Durable, it can be post- or wall-mounted for indoor or outdoor use. Designed for overnight 7kW charging the new unit can additionally be dialled up to fast 22kW capacity. There’s a choice of universal socket or five metre tethered cable.
Usage and access to the box can be controlled from your mobile phone using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and there’s an optional 4G sim card available if you live in an area with poor internet access. A built-in power balancer monitors other domestic appliances’ use and adjusts the charger output to avoid the possibility of an overload or blackout. Solar charging capability will be available soon, says EO.
Ordering the system for your home is simple: you choose the power rating and plug type for your charger, register your details and supply photos of any desired installation site and EO’s approved installer reviews the work and supplies a quote within five days. The Mini Pro 3 starts at £995, including standard installation.
EVBox
They say: The home charging station to kick-start your journey
EVBox has been offering charging solutions since 2010 – initially mainly to businesses. But use the drop down menu on its website and go to ‘home charging’ and there’s a good page there explaining what it does and how it does it.
The site is centred around sustainability and with that comes encouragement to charge your vehicle via your smartphone or by scheduling charges at certain times of the day, and most commonly at course, at night.
The various levels and speeds of charging are explained quite well: there are examples of how many miles a certain level (ie Level 1) charging station will get you per hour. Broad costs are given on the different levels with useful advice asking you to consider what power output your car can cope with and what is your home capable of providing without expensive upgrades.
There is a section on the supplier’s Elvi charging station, plus details of software you can buy to manage the system remotely. Explanations of how the installation takes place and how the three year warranty works are useful, along with sections on guarantee extensions and care plans.
EV Home
They say: No guesswork. Just straightforward prices
EV Home doesn’t have its own chargers. Instead it works with leading suppliers and arranges the whole insulation process for you.
It’s a simple website and a simple idea. You complete an enquiry form that helps find the most compatible wallbox for your home and car. EV Home uses your property layout and electrical set-up to recommend a design and specification that they think will best suit you, your car and house.
They also arrange for an approved installer to fit your charger at a fixed price. Three chargers are offered: Ohme Wall Charger, Wallbox Pulsar Plus Power, or Zappi Tethered and, following the initial inquiry one of these is recommended. Prices range from £775 to £900.
There’s a no-commitment inquiry form at the foot of the web page, a 24/7 telephone number – or you can go straight to the next step and book an installation. More detailed information on pricing and charge points is offered along with an explanation of any government grants available.
Evios
They say: We’re on a mission to simplify EV home charging
Operating for 14 years and with a wealth of experience, the company says it has created the perfect charge point for EV owners who charge at home. It’s called the Evios One, it’s built here in the UK and it costs £1,195 fully installed.
There are options to have an extra-long cable instead of the standard five-metre one for £50 more and you can opt for a charger to be supplied ‘without installation’ if you want to arrange your own installation (handy if you’re building a new house, for example). Different charging modes are offered: Pure Speed (the fastest version) Pure Green (the most environmentally friendly) and Pure Value (identifying lowest tariffs).
Evios will integrate with any existing solar panels your home might have, you can share your charge point with friends and family using a PIN code pad, and you can even link in with an Amazon Alexa home pod and get charging updates on a voice command.
A simple form allows you to reserve your charge point with Evios. If you change your mind, you can cancel the order at any time up until installation has been confirmed.
Ohme
They say: How much can I save with Ohme?
Ohme runs an environmentally-friendly smart charging system that nudges its customers to charge their vehicles at off-peak times, using spare energy that can’t be stored on the grid while saving money too. Its website asks you to input an EV of your choice and tells you the full cost with a standard charger and tariff compared with the cost with Ohme’s equipment and using its smart ‘time-of-use’ tariff.
Its new Home Pro charger, costing £949 fully installed, is the ‘lead’ wallbox on the site. It’s their newest model, the most up to date, and comes with a choice of cable lengths, a mobile app, over-the-air updates, home power balancing and a three year warranty among other features. There are though, other, cheaper chargers available on the site. A click-through guide will help you decide on the best one for you if you’re not sure.
There are some interesting and helpful guides on the Ohme website including details of the chargers and the app, explanations on how the company operates to save money and there’s a helpful section for people who are new to the electric revolution and are ‘getting started’ on their journey.
Pod Point
They say: We believe travel shouldn’t damage the earth
Pod Point’s mission is to put an electric vehicle charge point everywhere you are likely to park a car. Formed in 2009, it claims to have already provided 592 million miles of electric power to customers and sent out 175,000 charge points to UK customers. Additionally, it operates a network of 7,300 public bays.
For domestic information, go to the site’s ‘Driver charging’ section and drop down to ‘Home charging’.
Fully installed from £799, you get a 3.6kW, 7kW or 22kW charger, activity monitoring using Pod Pont’s App, off-peak charge scheduling, automatic balancing of electrical load in your home, especially when you’re using a lot of energy, and software updates via Wi-Fi.
Two wall boxes are offered: ‘Universal’ with no cable attached but there’s a socket for any car to plug in, and ‘Tethered’ with a Type 1 or Type 2 cable included specifically for your car. Upgrade from 3.6kw to 7kw and you’ll pay £100 more – for the 22kW superfast set-up it’s £1,549.
The Pod Point app helps you to set the cheapest charge time, look at your previous activity and download itemised reports for vehicle budgeting.
Rightcharge
They say: Energy is changing. Join in
Driven to help the environment and find good energy tariffs, Rightcharge offers to help you choose the right charger for your home, get it installed for you and save up to £400 a year into the deal by finding an energy rate that cuts your bills.
It’s a bold claim made on the landing page, and it’s quickly followed up by the proud boasts: ‘Money saved for drivers – £248,000’ and ‘Carbon emissions cut – 570 tonnes’. So what do they do then?
Scroll down the page and you’re invited to find a charge point. You do this by first inserting your postcode and then your electric car make and model. Next question: will the car usually be parked at home overnight. Rightcharge’s top three suggestions come up complete with price, picture and brief description. There’s an option to see more details if one takes your fancy.
If you don’t like the top three there’s still an option to view all charge points and a broader selection comes up. That’s good because if gives you more to compare. See one you like? Start by filling in your details which get passed to the specialist dealer and fitter. The price quoted is subject to the installer checking installation requirement.
Other sections on the website compare chargers and look at different energy tariffs, and there’s a whole section of charging guidelines with helpful tips and advice.
Rolec
They say: The smarter, greener, cheaper way to charge your EV
Rolec has been an expert in the outdoor electrical services industry for 30 years and specialises in three main areas: marina and waterside, caravan hook-ups and EV charging, and is the manufacturer of the UK’s largest range of smart AC and DC rapid chargers.
A good start then. Click on the ‘EV charging’ drop down option and you’re taken to a list containing ‘Home charging’. Using Zura and WallPod chargers, Rolec says it could save EV drivers up to £250 a year on their energy bills.
Clear pricing tells you the cost of each charger including the VAT and a secondary cost including the installation. The WallPod starts at £838 while the fastest-charging Zura begins at £913. There are datasheets with more details if you need a closer look. The pricing is subject to a site survey and inspection of the property and charging point location.
Rolec offers in tandem a smart charging app called ‘ev.energy’ which finds off-peak rates by smart charging your car and integrating any home energy tariff. It’s a convenient way to control your car charging.
The company offers secure connectivity, automatic load balancing of the property’s electrical supply, a lock feature and there are even free coffee vouchers, just for using the system.
Wallbox
They say: Going electric just got easier
Operating for the last six years, Wallbox provides a wide range of charging solutions for residential, business and public users and is especially interested in finding new ways to store, use and charge for electricity. This includes sharing power with other users and making payments for your own use with excess energy.
The company manufactures several charging points but the two main offerings for home use are the Pulsar Plus and Pulsar Max. The Plus is Wallbox’s smallest charger, its tiny 16cm x 16cm dimensions make it ideal for most garages. Capable of up to 22kW speedy charging, it comes with Type 1 or 2 connectors and a five metre cable (optional seven metres).
The Pulsar Max is the company’s newest version: a tough, neat design, ready for outdoor and indoor use, it comes in six bright colours to suit your home’s style. Also equipped to deliver up to 22kW power, the unit offers users smart charging suggestions so you can tap in to cheap supplies, for example, overnight while you sleep.
With Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity the Pulsars can be controlled remotely, while the Max even responds to voice commands, using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
Prices start from £589 for the Plus and £639 for the Max. Installation costs £475, and both units come with a three-year warranty.
Zaptec
They say: Fully charged for your next adventure
Zaptec say that no matter what car you drive or where you’re going, it has the charger to power your journey. Using Norwegian technology, it has created an award-winning charger called Zaptec Go.
The equipment matches its maximum charge to the capacity of your car so that you get the most efficient charge for that vehicle. It’s a small and light package and, coming with 60% fewer parts than its competitors, Zaptec says it provides the market’s easiest installation. Peace of mind is assured with a generous five year guarantee.
The state-of-the-art technology inside the Zaptec Go is always connected to Wi-Fi or 4G and therefore keeps itself up to date on latest functions and updates. Prices aren’t given, instead you ask for a quote after giving your name and address details and a photographic image of the area you have in mind for the installation.
The website includes a full products page of all its equipment, including that for flats and apartments, plus an interesting news section with useful advice.
What about BP Pulse?
You may think it’s odd that we’ve not included the country’s largest supplier of EV home charging infrastructure, and a preferred supplier to many car companies. That’s because the company has had an atrocious reputation for its home charger services, covering all aspects of installation, operation and repairs.
At one point, the company’s TrustPilot review page was full of irate customers who had booked home charger installations and had been left waiting months with no updates, and/or had experienced faulty charging units, and/or faulty apps to manage charging, and/or had suffered botched installations. Almost no-one had anything good to say about the company at all. I even ended up being interviewed on BBC’s Watchdog TV programme to explain all of the problems the company had been having.
BP Pulse’s public charging network also cops a lot of criticism from EV drivers. Although being the biggest provider does tend to mean you’re likely to have more problems, the manner in which BP Pulse has responded (or not responded) to an enormous number of faults has made users all over the UK very angry.
The company does appear to be addressing its problems, and claims to have recruited more field engineers and customer service operators. There are still plenty of angry customers, although anecdotally it does seem to be reducing from the levels of previous months.
If BP Pulse can prove to have lifted its game and start operating at a consistently high level (which it should, given the amount of money BP has been making lately), we’ll certainly consider including the company in future. But for now, there are better options.
Stuart Masson, editor
Looking for a new electric car? Our Expert Ratings give you the definitive verdict on every new EV on sale in the UK:
This article was first published in August 2022. Last updated May 2023. Additional reporting by Stuart Masson.
*The Car Expert has commercial partnerships with Go Zero Charge, Myenergi and Smartly. If you click through to their websites, we may receive a small commission.
