Hooray! You've bought an Electrical Vehicle (EV)! Now it is time to discover our favourite EV charger brands on the market and find the perfect charging solution for your EV.
Overview of Our Favourite EV Charger Brands
When it comes to EV chargers, there are several top brands that we highly recommend. These brands include MyEnergi, OhMe, and Simspon & Partners. Each brand offers unique features and benefits that make them a great choice for charging your electric vehicle.
The MyEnergi Zappi is known for its innovative features and smart charging capabilities. It allows you to charge your EV using surplus energy from your solar panels, making it an environmentally friendly option. OhMe chargers, on the other hand, are known for their advanced technology and user-friendly interface. They offer fast charging speeds and can be easily controlled through a mobile app. Simpson and Partners EV chargers are renowned for their compact size, measuring smaller than an A4 sheet of paper, making them highly space-efficient and versatile for various installation locations. These changers boast exceptional aesthetics with a sleek and smart design made from high-quality metal and wood, available in 112 colour combinations.
Features, benefits and comparisons
Let's take a closer look at the features, benefits, and comparison of our three most popular EV chargers: MyEnergi Zappi, OhMe Home Pro, and Simpson & Partners Home 7.
The MyEnergi Zappi EV charger offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to revolutionise your electric vehicle charging experience. With its Smart Charging technology, Zappi intelligently optimises charging times based on renewable energy availability, ensuring efficient and cost-effective charging. Featuring eco-friendly charging modes such as eco, eco+, and fast charge, Zappi allows users to prioritise renewable energy usage or fast charging according to their needs. Dynamic Load Balancing ensures optimal energy distribution, preventing overload and maximising efficiency. Safety is paramount with Zappi, boasting built-in features like DC leakage protection and automatic fault detection for peace of mind. Its user-friendly interface, complete with an LCD display, makes monitoring charging status and adjusting settings a breeze. Connectivity options including Wi-Fi and smartphone app integration enable remote control and monitoring of charging sessions. Compatible with most electric vehicles, Zappi offers a seamless charging solution for eco-conscious drivers seeking convenience and sustainability.
- When purchasing a solar-compatible charger, take advantage of our special offer to upgrade to solar energy within two years and receive a £250 discount. You will also benefit from complimentary connectivity between the solar system and charger, facilitating seamless integration and optimised energy usage.
The Ohme Home Pro is a cutting-edge EV charger that brings convenience and innovation to your fingertips. Boasting a built-in LCD screen and smartphone app integration, the Ohme Home Pro offers unparalleled control and monitoring of your charging sessions. With intuitive buttons on the screen, adjusting settings is effortless, ensuring a hassle-free user experience. Plus, stay connected wherever you are with the built-in 3G/4G SIM card connectivity, with costs covered by Ohme for the first three years. Say goodbye to worries about connectivity issues or data charges. Equipped with a tethered 5m Type Two cable, the Ohme Home Pro provides flexibility and convenience for charging your electric vehicle. And if you need more reach, you can easily upgrade to an 8m cable. With the Ohme Home Pro, charging your EV has never been smarter or more seamless.
The Simpson and Partners Home 7 is an entry-level single-phase 7kW EV charger, designed to provide reliable and efficient charging. Despite its compact size, the Home 7 boasts remarkable build quality and durability, ensuring long-term performance and reliability. Featuring a range of smart features, this charger offers enhanced convenience and functionality, allowing users to monitor and control their charging sessions with ease. The Home 7's sleek and understated design adds a touch of sophistication to any environment, while its compact design makes it ideal for installation in space-constrained areas. The Home 7 is smaller than a standard sheet of A4 paper! With the Home 7, customers can enjoy efficient and stylish charging for their electric vehicles without compromising on quality or aesthetics.The Home 7 Plus and Home 22 Plus versions represent more premium offerings, providing enhanced functionality and features, with one of the standout features being their compatibility with solar energy systems.
When comparing these chargers, it's important to consider your specific needs and preferences. If you have (or are considering purchasing) solar panels and want to maximise the use of renewable energy, the MyEnergi Zappi will be the best choice for you. If you value advanced technology and user-friendly features, the OhMe Home Pro could be the right option. If space and aesthetics are of high priority, Simpson & Partner's Home 7 will be a stand out choice for you. Ultimately, the choice depends on your individual requirements and budget.
Exploring and explaining tethered and untethered options
When choosing an EV charger, you will come across the terms 'tethered' and 'untethered.' These terms refer to the type of cable connection the charger has. Tethered chargers have a permanently attached cable that is used to connect the charger to your electric vehicle. This offers convenience as you don't have to worry about carrying a separate cable with you. On the other hand, untethered chargers do not have a permanently attached cable. Instead, they have a socket where you can plug in a charging cable. One of the main advantages of untethered chargers is that they can look neater and less obtrusive when not in use. Since there isn't a cable permanently hanging from the charger, it can blend more seamlessly into its surroundings, whether it's mounted on a wall or installed on a standalone pedestal. This can be particularly advantageous for residential settings or public spaces where aesthetics are important. However, the extra step of having to locate and connect your cable can be time-consuming, especially inconvenient when in a rush. Additionally, it introduces the possibility of forgetting or misplacing the charging cable, further delaying the charging process.
Both tethered and untethered options have their advantages and disadvantages. It's important to consider your specific needs and preferences when deciding which option is right for you.
Location of charger and cost
Choosing the right location for your EV charger is crucial for convenience and functionality. Before installing the charger, it's important to consider a few factors. Firstly, we need to determine the distance between the charger and the consumer unit, where the electricity supply is connected. This distance is known as the cable run and it affects the cost of installation. The longer the cable run, the more materials and labour will be required, which can increase the overall cost. To estimate the cost of the cable run we will need you to provide videos and photos of main consumer unit, the area where the charger will be installed and the distance between the two. This is known as a remote survey. An engineer can come to survey as part of our Personalised Premium EV Installation Service.
Standard EV Installation Service
- A remote survey of your property based on images / videos provided by you
- Up to 10m of EV Ultra cable run from supply to charger
- Connection to your mains incoming supply
- Full Electrical Certification IAW Electrical Regulations BS7671
- Installing on a suitable, permanent structure
- Drilling through one wall
- Installation up to 1.8m high
- Up to 4 hours onsite
- App Set-Up and Demo
- Installation of Type A 40A RCBO Protection
- Installation of Surge protection device
- No Groundworks (Any ducts required will need to be completed before installation day).
Standard installations priced as follows:
Ohme Epod - £949 plus vat
Ohme Home pro - £999 plus vat
MyEnergi Zappi untethered - £1099 plus vat
MyEnergi Zappi tethered - £1149 plus vat
Simpson & Partners untethered basic charger - £1099 plus VAT
Personalised Premium EV installation – Additional £249 plus vat
- An engineer will attend site to carry out your survey.
- Full installation cost will be confirmed on completion of a survey.
- Customers can enjoy peace of mind with a complimentary 12-month health check.
Charging Tariffs and Government Grants
The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) provides a range of grants to help with the UK’s transition towards zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) and to support the installation of EV chargers. This scheme provides eligible applicants with a grant of up to £350 towards the installation cost of a home EV charger. Fleets, carparks, workplaces, landlords, flat owners, tenants and company EV users are among those eligible for the OZEV grant.
As authorised OZEV installers, we guide our customers through the grant application process, ensuring a seamless experience from selection to installation. With our expertise and OZEV-approved chargers, we're committed to making the transition to electric vehicles both accessible and rewarding for our customers. All of the above-mentioned EV chargers are OZEV approved and are eligible for the grant, ensuring compliance with the latest industry regulations and safety protocols. By taking advantage of the government grant and choosing one of these approved chargers, you can make the installation more affordable and ensure that you have a reliable charging solution for your electric vehicle.
Octopus Energy's EV charging tariff works by providing a seamless and efficient charging solution for electric vehicle owners. By offering a range of smart charging options, Octopus Energy ensures that users can maximise the use of renewable energy and manage their energy consumption effectively. The MyEnergi Zappi, with its innovative solar optimisation feature, is particularly well-suited for those looking to take advantage of Octopus Energy's green tariffs.
- With our Octopus EV charging rate referral scheme at BJC Electrical & Solar, you will enjoy exclusive access to discounted electricity rates for charging your electric vehicle, plus £50 to spend with Octopus.
Consider the unique advantages of each charger mentioned in this blog post and contact us today to purchase the perfect charging solution for your electric vehicle.
