Which EV Charger to get

[JSB]

Hi all, it's been quite a while since I posted on here, hope you're all well.

I'm in the market for a new ev charger, I used to have a Rolec in my previous house, it was popular a few years ago and compared to current chargers was quite basic.

It seems the new ones are wifi enabled, smart, have apps etc. Just wondering which ones are popular now, I intend to purchase a mid range model and have it installed by an electrician.

I'm also due to change my energy tariff soon, so looking at options there, probably will go for an EV tarrif with off peak rates, currently with eon Next who have an EV tarrif of 9p per kwh between 12.00 and 7.30am.

Any recommendations, experience and pros & cons of different models will be greatly appreciated.

 

[littlescrote]

For the modest battery size of a PHEV, and especially the low charge rate of the Outlander, I'd seriously consider if any fancy charger (EVSE actually, the charger is in the car) or EV tariff is worthwhile.

With the EVSE, any extra features that you pay for are unlikely to offer much benefit, except perhaps that they give you more control rather than relying on the vehicle's charging timer which is obviously not 'smart' (ie internet connected). Other fancy EVSE benefits such as integrating with solar to only charge on excess are a bit of a waste when you could just use the granny charger and charge at minimum power anyway, with a smart isolator (suitable for the high continuous current similar to an immersion heater) in between if you wish to get clever with it.

For the tariff, be sure that the increased unit rate outside of off peak could mean paying more overall, depending on your usage split. That split can be very different for a BEV doing high mileage every day and filling up with 50kWh or more compared to household usage of say 10kWh, but with a PHEV it's maybe more like a 10/10 split which may not pay off.

 

[JSB]

Hi, thanks for the reply, I've done the maths and an EV tariff would be worthwhile for me. Regarding charging the phev, I'll need to reconsider if its worth having an EV charger installed. Just out of curiosity I wondered what percentage of owners only charger with the granny charger.

 

[AndyInOz]

I don't think there's much chance you can get a percentage via forum members.

I can be a single data point for you though, I've never used any other kind of charger.

My car is set up to charge after midnight, so I plug it in when it is getting low, and it's ready to go the next morning.

 

[nrayanov]

I'm using a DUOSIDA PORTABLE CHARGER SCHUKO TO TYPE 1 3,7KW, more than happy with it.

 

[DaveL59]

Just the supplied granny charger for me, daughter does the same when she's able or occasionally uses a charge point. She may get one fitted now she's moved, once they've been able to sort the driveway but I don't think she's looked much at which type yet.

 

[JSB]

Hi all, I've decided to get a charger installed, there are 2 I'm considering, ie Hypervolt and Rolec QUBEV Smart.

I prefer having an untethered charger so that it's future proof. As Hypervolt only do tethered ones, I would have to get a type 1 cable tethered version for the phev. It is also dearer than the QUBEV. Despite this the reviews and support are very good. So, perhaps still worth considering.

The other one, Rolec QUBEV seems OK in terms of functionality, but I have no idea how reliable it is as there are not many reviews on it. Does anyone have the QUBEV, if so what do think of it?

Are there any other chargers you think are worth considering?

 

[mellobob]

Unless you are planning on getting a EV with greater charging capacities, the cheap 220v chargers from Amazon work just fine. I had one for years now plugged into a 40amp (?) welder port in my garage. A bigger (more expensive) charger would make zero difference in charging rates.