The right charger depends on your car, your electricity supply, and how you use both. Here's how we think about it.
Speed
- 3 kW: fine as a top-up, slow for full charges — better as backup.
- 7.4 kW: the standard single-phase UK domestic unit; charges most EVs fully overnight.
- 22 kW: needs three-phase supply; useful for very high-mileage drivers.
Tethered or untethered
Tethered (cable attached) is more convenient day-to-day. Untethered (socket only) is tidier when not in use and future-proofs you against different connector types.
Smart features worth having
Solar diverting (charge the car with excess solar), scheduling for cheap-rate tariffs, and OZEV grant compatibility if you're eligible.