Ev Chargers via govt grant

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend good charger makes/models and which ones to avoid?

Also, what is the max amp and kwh charger recommended for a Phev Outlander?

Finally, any decent installers local to me in West Yorkshire?

Thanks.

Most people tend to go for Chargemaster for a cheap solution, Rolec or EO for something that looks a bit nicer, Podpoint for something that connects to the internet so you can monitor your usage on an app, or Zappi if you have solar panels. There are of course others, but they don't tend to be talked about on here and Facebook as much.

There's lots of choice - if you go to the government website you can download a list of all the approved installers and what makes/models they supply. I took this and filtered it down to the ones that did my area (YO8) and I liked the look of their website and then decided on the model I wanted. I didn't like the appearance of the Chargemaster ones, so went for Podpoint. I really couldn't fault their service.

The PHEV can only charge at up to 16A (3.6kW), but it's worth spending a little more and getting a 32A (7.2kW) one fitted as then you're covered for any future electric/plugin hybrid cars you have. Similarly it's more flexible if you go for one with a Type 2 socket (and buy a Type 2 to Type 1 cable) rather than a tethered Type 1 cable, as fewer and fewer cars have Type 1. I leave my cable plugged in (and padlocked) so it's effectively tethered but I've got the option to unplug it and take it with me to use at public charging points if I want to.

Many thanks richr for a quick and comprehensive response, just what I was after!

I've decided to get the Rolec 32A 7.2 kw Socketed Unit. I have applied for grant and fitting through Keighley based company McNally. They'll also supply a discountedType 2 to Type 1 lead. Thanks for the advice.

We got a ChargeMaster one with our Zoe. It is obviously a 7kW model. CM do have an option for viewing your charging history over the internet, though it costs more. I am so glad that we went untethered, as it means that we can charge both the PHEV and the Zoe using the same charger. They needed photos of the location for the grant application, which needs to be done by the car owner - I tried to do it for SWMBO's Zoe and had to redo it

We live at the Yorkshire end of the M1, but I'm afraid I can't remember the firm's name. They were chosen by CM, and they were able to do it within a week. I didn't have much interaction with the fitter, as it was all handled by CM and all went smoothly. Nothing bad to report in almost 18 months.