Which charger?

[g320y]

We've been charging our new 2023 id3 pro launch edition 1 (software v3.2) with the supplied VW 3pin plug charger via an extension lead on an Octopus economy 7 tariff. Having finally got a smart meter installed (I'm sure pre privitisation it would have been much more straightforward to get a crumbling piece of 1970s chipboard holding the meter replaced) a dedicated charger is needed to access a cheaper tariff (probably intelligent octopus) and also to leave the car to charge unsupervised overnight. So the question is what charger would you recommend? We only have one EV and don't (and can't) have solar panels or a home battery. The charger will be in a garage. Thank you.

[steviebabes]

As the car is compatible (and works reliably) with Intelligent Octopus you only need a dumb charger, Ours is a QBEV but I haven't seen them about recently. The only caveat is if you only have a 60A service fuse, you may need a charger with load balancing.

[Kwr68]

We've been charging our new 2023 id3 pro launch edition 1 (software v3.2) with the supplied VW 3pin plug charger via an extension lead on an Octopus economy 7 tariff. Having finally got a smart meter installed (I'm sure pre privitisation it would have been much more straightforward to get a crumbling piece of 1970s chipboard holding the meter replaced) a dedicated charger is needed to access a cheaper tariff (probably intelligent octopus) and also to leave the car to charge unsupervised overnight. So the question is what charger would you recommend? We only have one EV and don't (and can't) have solar panels or a home battery. The charger will be in a garage. Thank you.

I and a neighbour both have Myenergi zappi working well and they have a good customer service, shame you don’t/can’t have solar panels apart from going away on trips it has cost me virtually nothing from April to September.

[steve]

As the car is compatible (and works reliably) with Intelligent Octopus you only need a dumb charger, Ours is a QBEV but I haven't seen them about recently. The only caveat is if you only have a 60A service fuse, you may need a charger with load balancing.

My experience is that Intelligent Octopus control of the ID3 is hit and miss.

[Nerdy]

I have a Simpsons and Partners solar compatible EV charger and had Octopus Intelligent Go since early September.

Used to schedule charge overnight, but In the last 2 weeks I have allowed full control by Octopus (i.e allow Smart Charging within the Octopus App and similarly enabling Octopus Intelligent Go within the S&P charger app)

Been working fine.

NB I have solar, and so thought better get the Solar compatible model, but it actually requires purchase of another device (Wireless Energy monitor or the Wired Energy monitor) to enable Solar surplus charging. I was not told about this when I asked for a quote from the Electrician and it was not very clear on the info on the S&P brochure.

In the end I chose not to pay an extra £100 for this as my solar is only 3.9KW so rarely generate enough to trigger surplus charging ( the monitor for the energy flux was not very accurate when I had the energy monitor as a trial for a few days)


In the end it's not needed/worth it as Octopus Export now pays 15p, so works out better to export Solar and import to charge car at 7.5p overnight (or Smart Charging).

So even if you have Solar it's not worth getting a Solar Compatible model.

Hope this helps

[sidehaas]

Ohme Home Pro is pretty good if you don't need solar integration. Had some early teething troubles a couple of years ago but customer service was good. They seem to be on the ball with tariff integration.

[MotMot]

I have a smart charger from the days before intelligent octopus. Now it’s pretty much used as a dumb charger socket. I’d be tempted just to get a simple socket/dumb charger if you can find one!

[StuartT]

For what it's worth, I've got an Indra Smart Pro and I'm on OVO (who have just reduced their EV tariff to 7p per kwh) . It's been very reliable and tbh it means I don't have to rely on setting any schedules in the car (I set it up through Indra) because my trust in VW software is nil.
You said you can't have solar panels, but I'm just putting it out there that we're just about to have solar panels fitted and OVO are buying any excess from us at 20p per kw and charging 7p per kw for EV charging so I won't be diverting any excess into the car!
Good luck, it's a minefield and we all do what we thinks right for us.

[Splash-Man]

For what it's worth, I've got an Indra Smart Pro and I'm on OVO (who have just reduced their EV tariff to 7p per kwh) . It's been very reliable and tbh it means I don't have to rely on setting any schedules in the car (I set it up through Indra) because my trust in VW software is nil.
You said you can't have solar panels, but I'm just putting it out there that we're just about to have solar panels fitted and OVO are buying any excess from us at 20p per kw and charging 7p per kw for EV charging so I won't be diverting any excess into the car!
Good luck, it's a minefield and we all do what we thinks right for us.

I'm with OVO at the moment and according to their website you can't have solar panel and be on the EV tariff due to the way it's currently being configured. You might need to keep quiet about the panels
I'm having solar and a GivEnergy charger installed next week ready for when the car arrives next month.

[StuartT]

OVO are installing the panels
Could it be that way for Non-OVO panels customers? I've been on their EV tariff for a while and they haven't said there will be any problems after the panels have gone up, but I'll give them a shout just to check, cheers.

[RichyJ91]

I’ve got a 2021 ID3, which was recently updated to 3.2 a few weeks ago, which then enabled me to move to Intelligent Octopus. I’ve got the Hypervolt home charger which is great, and has probably only failed on me twice in year, for whatever reason. Octopus works every time, you just have to stop the charge using the VW once you plug in, then they’ll send you a notification with your charge timings/plan and leave it to it! Easy.

[StuartT]

For what it's worth, I've got an Indra Smart Pro and I'm on OVO (who have just reduced their EV tariff to 7p per kwh) . It's been very reliable and tbh it means I don't have to rely on setting any schedules in the car (I set it up through Indra) because my trust in VW software is nil.
You said you can't have solar panels, but I'm just putting it out there that we're just about to have solar panels fitted and OVO are buying any excess from us at 20p per kw and charging 7p per kw for EV charging so I won't be diverting any excess into the car!
Good luck, it's a minefield and we all do what we thinks right for us.

I'm with OVO at the moment and according to their website you can't have solar panel and be on the EV tariff due to the way it's currently being configured. You might need to keep quiet about the panels
I'm having solar and a GivEnergy charger installed next week ready for when the car arrives next month.

I've just had a look at the OVO website, as well as dropping them an email for clarification, and it seems I've got the right charger for solar charging and I await their reply about the Anytime tariff. It was all too good to be true! (my life doesn't work like that! )

[StuartT]

I got a reply and all is well.

[Splash-Man]

Sounds great, think I'll get the tariff and just keep quiet for now !
I see that Hypervolt chargers are being offered by Ovo now as well.

[TimF]

We have Ohme Home Pro, which is fine. We went for an deal which combined installation of the charger with replacement of our ancient consumer unit. The latter had done very good service, but used a separate single RCCB, whereas the new one means every circuit has its own RCBO. Combining the two jobs meant that the consumer unit / earthing / supply / fusing / charger had to work as a complete system: no way of "I can't fit this because that is incompatible / needs an upgrade". One visit, both done.