Zappi EV Charger Review 2026 — Solar Compatible Smart Charger

The Short Answer

The Zappi is the best EV charger on the UK market for homes with solar panels. Its built-in solar divert feature lets you charge your car using surplus solar energy — no additional hardware needed. At £800–£1,200 installed, it costs more than a basic charger, but the solar integration can save you £400-600 per year on charging costs if you drive a typical 8,000-10,000 miles annually.

What Is the Zappi?

The Zappi is a smart EV charger made by Myenergi, a British company based in Lincolnshire. It launched in 2019 and quickly became the go-to charger for UK homes with solar panels, thanks to its unique ability to divert surplus solar energy into your car.

The current model is the Zappi v2.1. It is available in 7kW (single-phase) and 22kW (three-phase) versions. For the vast majority of UK homes on a single-phase supply, the 7kW model is the one to go for.

Key Specs

Spec	Zappi v2.1
Max charge rate	7.4kW (single phase) / 22kW (three phase)
Connector	Type 2 (tethered or untethered)
Solar divert	Yes (built-in, via CT clamp)
Charging modes	ECO, ECO+, Fast
Smart tariff support	Yes (Octopus, Agile, etc.)
IP rating	IP65 (outdoor rated)
App control	Myenergi app (iOS/Android)
Warranty	3 years

Charging Modes Explained

The Zappi has three charging modes, which is what sets it apart from other chargers.

ECO+ Mode (Solar Only)

The charger only draws surplus solar energy. If your panels are generating 3kW and your home is using 1kW, the remaining 2kW goes to the car. If there is no surplus, the charger waits. This mode means your car charging costs virtually nothing — you are using electricity that would otherwise be exported at 4-15p/kWh.

The trade-off: charging is slower and depends on sunshine. On a good summer day, you might add 20-30 miles of range. On a dull winter day, very little.

ECO Mode (Solar + Grid Top-Up)

The charger prioritises solar but tops up from the grid to maintain a minimum charge rate (1.4kW). This is the best all-round mode — you use as much solar as possible while still guaranteeing the car charges. Most of our customers use ECO mode as their default.

Fast Mode (Full Speed)

Draws the maximum 7.4kW from the grid regardless of solar generation. Use this when you need a quick charge and do not care about solar optimisation. Charges a typical 60kWh EV battery from 20% to 80% in around 5 hours.

Pros

• Best solar integration on the market — No other charger matches the Zappi’s solar divert capability. The CT clamp monitors in real time and adjusts charge rate every few seconds.
• Three charging modes — ECO+, ECO, and Fast give you full control over when and how you charge.
• Smart tariff compatible — Works with Octopus Agile, Octopus Go, and other time-of-use tariffs. Automatically charges during cheap rate periods.
• British made — Designed and manufactured in the UK. Good customer support and spares availability.
• IP65 rated — Fully weatherproof for outdoor installation.
• Works with all EVs — Universal Type 2 connector. Compatible with every electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sold in the UK.
• Load management — Automatically reduces charge rate if your home’s total demand gets too high, preventing your main fuse from tripping.

Cons

• Price premium — At £800-1,200 installed, it costs £200-400 more than a basic smart charger like the Wallbox Pulsar Plus.
• 3-year warranty — Shorter than the 5-year warranty offered by some competitors. Myenergi does sell extended warranties.
• App can be clunky — The Myenergi app works but is not as polished as the Wallbox or Tesla apps. It does the job, but the interface could be smoother.
• No cable storage built in — The tethered version has a basic cable hook, but it is not as neat as the Andersen A2’s integrated cable management.
• Solar divert needs minimum 1.4kW surplus — Below this threshold, the charger cannot start a charging session (EV protocol limitation). On low-generation days, ECO+ mode may not activate at all.

Zappi vs Wallbox Pulsar Plus vs Andersen A2

Feature	Zappi v2.1	Wallbox Pulsar Plus	Andersen A2
Installed price	£800-1,200	£600-900	£1,200-1,600
Max charge rate	7.4kW	7.4kW	7.4kW
Solar divert	Yes (built-in)	No	No
Smart tariff	Yes	Yes	Yes
Warranty	3 years	5 years (extended available)	3 years
App quality	Functional	Good	Good
Design	Industrial	Compact, modern	Premium, wood fascia options

Choose the Zappi if:

• You have solar panels (or plan to install them)
• You want to charge your EV for free using surplus solar
• You value smart tariff scheduling
• You want a proven, British-made product

Choose the Wallbox Pulsar Plus if:

• You do not have solar panels
• Budget is the priority
• You want a longer warranty out of the box
• You prefer a more compact, modern design

Choose the Andersen A2 if:

• Aesthetics matter — you want a charger that looks good on the front of your house
• You want premium build quality and integrated cable management
• Budget is not the primary concern

Solar Integration: How It Works

This is the Zappi’s strongest selling point, so it is worth explaining properly.

A CT clamp (current transformer) is fitted around your meter tails during installation. This sensor monitors your home’s energy flow in real time — how much you are generating, how much you are consuming, and how much is being exported.

When the Zappi detects surplus solar energy (generation minus consumption), it diverts that surplus into your car. The charge rate adjusts dynamically, every few seconds, to match available surplus.

The maths

A typical 4kWp solar system in Milton Keynes generates around 3,600kWh per year. Without an EV, roughly 50% of that (1,800kWh) would be exported to the grid at 4-15p/kWh. With a Zappi in ECO+ mode, much of that exported energy goes into your car instead, saving you the 24.5p/kWh you would have paid to charge from the grid.

Over a year, diverting 1,000-1,500kWh of solar into your car saves £245–£370 compared to grid charging at the April 2026 price cap rate. That is on top of whatever you save on petrol or diesel.

Our Verdict

The Zappi is the best EV charger for solar homes in the UK. Nothing else matches its solar divert capability, and the ECO modes genuinely reduce your charging costs to near-zero on sunny days.

The £200-400 premium over a basic smart charger pays for itself within 1-2 years through solar savings alone. If you already have solar panels or are planning to install them, the Zappi is the obvious choice.

If you do not have solar and do not plan to get it, save your money and go with a Wallbox Pulsar Plus. The Zappi’s main advantage disappears without panels.

Frequently Asked Questions