While browsing through our products, you have probably already seen our smart home EV charger, zappi. But what exactly is an EV charger? And what makes zappi so unique? We are happy to tell you more.
How can I charge my electric car?
You use a charging cable to charge your electric car. In the Netherlands, a type-2 plug, also known as a Mennekes plug, is used for electric cars. If you want to charge your car at home, you will need your own charging station or wall charger. Will you be charging your car on the road? Then you often need a charging card or app to make use of public facilities. The charging time depends on the size of your battery in kW and the speed of the charge in kWh. In general, you can charge faster at a commercial station than at home.
What is a home EV charger?
EV stands for Electric Vehicle. The electric car is an example of an EV. So an EV home charger is simply a charger that allows you to charge your electric car at home.
In theory, you can connect most electric cars to your normal power outlet, but this is not advisable. The charging cable can get too hot and cause a fire. You don't want that to happen. To charge in a safer way, it is wiser to choose a special EV charger for your home.
Why should I charge at home?
Of course, you can charge your electric car at a commercial charging station nearby, but charging at home is often much cheaper. This is because you then pay the "normal" electricity price. Charging at public charging stations can vary greatly in price. On average, you will quickly arrive at €0.41 per kWh. At a fast charger it is even €0.60 per kWh. With an EV charger for home, of course, you will pay the cost of your own charging station or wall charger.
Another advantage of charging at home is that your car is ready to go. It takes little effort for you to charge the car and you don't have to look for a charging station.
Is a home EV charger safe?
When you purchase your home EV charger and have it installed by a licensed installer, you can safely use it to charge your car. The strict European regulations that a charger must meet allow you to use it safely.
In addition, our zapp is the only home EV charger with built-in PEN fault technology, which is the safest choice when it comes to electric charging. You don't need any grounding pins with it, which means no extra cost and easy installation of your charger. With zappi, you can also check, monitor and update your charger from your phone, tablet or computer.
What makes zappi unique?
Zappi is the world's first home EV charger that works with your solar panels. Using small device called harvi your surplus self-generated energy does not go straight back to the grid, but is first checked to see if it can be used by your own devices. Thus, with zappi you can charge your electric car with your own solar energy. If you combine this smart home EV charger with our innovative eddi, you can also heat your water with your own solar energy.
It is not necessary to have solar panels to use Zappi. Even without solar panels, this smart home EV charger is a good investment. The advantage of zappi is that the system can be set to off-peak tariffs. This way, you can charge your electric car during the most advantageous times.
How does zappi work?
In the following video we show you how the home EV charger, Zappi, works: