Charging away from home

A tethered charger has a cable attached, making it a convenient all-in-one solution. Just park up and plug in! On the downside you’ll have to wind the cable back up to store it neatly after charging, and if your chosen connector becomes obsolete at some point in the distant future, you may end up having to buy a whole new charging unit.

An untethered charger – sometimes called a ‘socketed’ charger – is a charger without a cable attached. They can be cheaper to buy, and give you the option to upgrade your cable and swap connectors at any time. On the downside, fetching a cable every time you want to charge can become tiresome.

Want the best of both worlds? The untethered Easee One allows you to lock a charging cable in place, thus creating a DIY ‘tethered’ charging unit.

‘Smart’ home chargers can communicate with the grid and intelligently manage when and how your vehicle is charged, so you can take advantage of lower electricity prices where possible. All chargers sold after the 30th June 2022 must have ‘smart’ functionality, so you can expect it as standard.

Home charging points should only ever be installed by qualified electricians.

If you own your home, installing a charger shouldn’t be an issue. Although if your property is listed or you live in a conservation area, it's worth checking with your local planning department first. Renters should get permission from their landlord or landlady.

Only if you have a 3-phase electricity supply. And since the vast majority of residential homes in the UK use single phase, most buyers will find themselves restricted to chargers that are rated up to 7.4kW.