Folks, excuse the ignorance here but I don’t presently have an EV.
I’m assuming with an untethered EV charger, I can just use the Type 2 cable that comes with the vehicle or buy an extra cable from a company like EV Cables with no issues ?
Charger would be a Zappi, the untethered version.
I would get the tethered version of the Zappi. It’s just so much easier. Unwind it and plug it in. Otherwise you are getting the cable out of the car, plugging it in, then folding it up and putting it away, probably soaking wet. They are thick and ungainly and you really don’t want to be wrestling it into the little space under the boot floor unless you absolutely have to. Just trust me on this!!
Yes, any regular type 2 will do, just make sure it meets or exceeds the kW rating of your charger.
Thanks both - ok all noted. I’d get myself a suitable separate charging cable that could be kept in the garage.
After looking at our location options, the most practical would be to position the charger to the side of our garage door on the front of the house and we’d prefer a neat and tidy solution. It wouldn’t be an issue if it was located at the side of the house, which unfortunately is not an option, hence the preference to get the untethered Zappi.
Having seen a few installations around the neighbourhood I think it looks neater without the tethered cable wrapped around it.
All I’ll say is that as soon as you get the car you’ll wish you got the tethered Zappi. Ours is right by the front door and looks absolutely fine. It’s a car charger and people expect them to have a cable. Neat and tidy is overrated.
It may look neater unteathered, but i’ll give it a week before you are back here wishing you had it teathered.
After 6 years, we’ve been very happy with the untethered charger. It is really neat and tidy (looks actually cool in front on the side of the house). I also have 3m and 10m cables depending on what is needed e.g. if we have friends visiting or staying and their car just happens (as a rule!: ) to have the port on the opposite side.
We have 2x EVs and tethered is invaluable as we can quickly swap between vehicles without having to do the cable unpacking/packing away thing twice.
A bonus with the zappi charger is the tethered cable is 6.5m long, versus the 5m cables we got with both vehicles. That extra length makes plugging in so much easier without needing to be too precise with where you park on the driveway.
Another vote for tethered. Untethered is one of those things that seems a nice idea - but in reality turns out to be a right pain.
Tethered without a doubt. Fiddling with connecting a cable in the rain, wind and snow is a right pain.
Never missed or felt the need for a tethered charger over 11 years of charging cars.
Buy a Fiat Grande Panda the cable is built into the car and retracts when not in use.
Plus it’s a funky cheap car that does the job rather than these bloated £40k anonoboxes.
I also recommend a tethered charger and it’s a tethered Zappi that is being installed to replace my tethered PodPoint in a couple of week’s time.
Why the change David ? We also have a Podpoint.
Tethered is just quicker and easier.
It was strongly advised by our solar designer who said the Zappi integrates better with the overall solar/battery control that he is about to install than the PodPoint. I was in two minds about it, but done as part of the solar install it’s zero-rated for VAT and in the end I just thought I should follow his design logic.
Also our PodPoint is coming out of extended warranty in the next year and I have found it very hard to get any response from PodPoint when I have had need to talk to them (three separate times in all). So I’m also responding to that frustration.
Our first charger was untethered. It was a problem from the outset, although that was nothing to do with its untetheredness. When we replaced it we went tethered and were honestly much happier with the solution.
Fighting the cable in and out of the boot, especially in poor weather, was a real nuisance.
Now I just pull up and plug it in.
I’m done and in the house warm and dry in 30 seconds.
I would also recommend a tethered cable but I understand your point about spoiling the house frontage. I looked at Andersen chargers which are more expensive, but I believe hide the cable and there are a huge number of box finishes to choose from.
Since your EV has a Type 2 AC inlet, you might want to explore the Tesla destination chargers!
I’m using this one for my Rivian.
Another vote for tethered. The cable on the zappi wraps around it, really very little difference aesthetically if you wrap it away neatly.
.sjb
