Tesla Wall Connector vs. Zappi vs. Fronius Wattpilot: Which EV Charger Is Right for You?
Public charging is all good but has its downsides, the most notable one being more expensive than home charging in the long run and its inconvenience especially during peak hours.
To address this concern, many EV owners are considering getting chargers for personal use, which, thanks to brands like Tesla, Myenergi, and Fronius, are getting more cost-effective and innovative by the minute. But which EV charger is right for you? Let’s find out.
What is an EV Charger and How Does It Work?
An electric vehicle charger works by transferring electricity from a power source to an electric vehicle’s battery. Consider it as your typical charging device as EVs need their batteries full to operate. But unlike the usual electronic devices where plugging is easily done at home or in the office, or even at coffee shops, charging one’s EV takes a little more planning.
With that EV owners are starting to recognise that while there’s increasing charging stations in public places, nothing beats the convenience of charging at home.
Myenergi Zappi Review
Myenergi Zappi is an innovative smart EV charger with strengths based on renewable energy integration and smart home compatibility. Designed and manufactured in the UK, the Zappi is a smart choice for Australians who prioritise quality, convenience, and performance above all.
Myenergi Zappi Features
In this Myenergi Zappi review, it’s essential to delve into the brand’s most important features, which are as follows:
Solar and Wind Energy Integration: One of Zappi’s strengths is its smooth integration with your existing renewable energy system. Since it can directly charge your EV using surplus energy from solar panels or wind turbines, using Zappi maximises usage of sustainable energy, therefore reducing your home or business’ reliance on the grid by using excess solar production. It offers three modes: Eco, Eco+, and Fast, to tailor energy consumption to your needs.
Smart Energy Monitoring: Equipped with the harvi wireless energy monitor, Zappi provides real-time data on energy consumption, generation, and grid export. It’s extremely useful when streamlining your energy management, plus it works seamlessly with the Myenergi app, so you can monitor and control the EV charger remotely.
Note: harvi is an optional purchase on top of your Zappi EV charger.
Grid Management: Zappi is built with load balancing technology that ensures the charger does not go beyond your electrical system’s capacity. It’s also designed to be future-proof as firmware updates are automated to stay compliant with evolving grid regulations.
Schedule Charging: You can set charging times to benefit from off-peak tariffs, making it cost-effective and convenient, a combination that makes technology even more awesome.
Eco-Friendly Design: Zappi is manufactured utilising sustainable practices and developed to proficiently pair with energy-efficient systems.
Tesla Wall Connector Review
Aesthetics-wise, the Tesla Wall Connector is a winner. It’s sleek, ergonomic, and just visually pleasing overall. But more than its physical appeal, the Tesla wall charger also delivers in terms of performance and reliability, and at a much lower price point compared with Zappi.
Tesla Wall Connector Features
In this Tesla charger review, we discuss every feature and benefit you can enjoy with Tesla’s EV charger.
Tesla Ecosystem Integration: The Wall Connector, obviously, is optimised for Tesla vehicles for seamless communication and functionality between your electric car and charger. But while optimised for Tesla cars, the Wall connector can also be used for other electric vehicles.
High Power Output: Offers up to 22kW (three-phase) or 7.4kW (single-phase) charging, which translates to quick and efficient charging times.
Tesla App: Tesla’s handy app allows users to schedule charging, monitor energy usage, and access charging stats remotely.
Compact and Elegance: The Wall Connector is unrivalled when it comes to aesthetics, featuring a sleek and modern look designed to complement Tesla cars.
Whether you’re having your Wall Connector installed in your garage or outside your home, it will fit stylishly in any space it’s on. It also includes a 7.3 metre charge cable for longer coverage across your whole garage, longer than Zappi’s 6.5 metres.
Flexible Installation: Tesla’s EV charger supports both single-phase and three-phase power for a faster, seamless installation.
Power Sharing: This nifty feature allows up to six Gen 3 Wall Connectors to share power and charge multiple vehicles at once.
Fronius Wattpilot Review
Austrian company Fronius is a global leader in solar energy, best known for its high-quality solar inverters. Increasing its sustainable solutions, Fronius also offers its own intelligent EV charging solution with the Fronius Wattpilot.
Fronius Wattpilot Features
In this Fronius Wattpilot review, we get to know Fronius’ EV charging solution by examining the features and benefits unique to the brand.
Solar Energy Integration: If your solar system includes a Fronius inverter, Wattpilot is the best option. Fronius’ EV charger is designed to work efficiently with its own inverters to use excess solar energy for charging your car, a truly fine moment for green energy advocates.
Dynamic Load Balancing: When charging multiple EVs, the power is optimally distributed via the Dynamic Load Balancing feature. With this, you don’t need to invest in a large connection infrastructure to reliably charge up to three vehicles simultaneously.
Versatile Charging Options: Offers two charging options: Wattpilot Home, a fixed installation type for home use, and Wattpilot Go, your portable option if charging on the go is part of your daily routine.
Solar.wattpilot App: The charger’s app allows remote monitoring and management of charging, including scheduling and prioritising solar energy usage.
Modes for Cost Efficiency: Users can choose between Eco Mode, which prioritises renewable energy and low-cost electricity tariffs, and Next Trip Mode, which prepares your vehicle for your next trip.
Which EV charger offers the best warranty?
When it comes to warranty, both Myenergi Zappi and Tesla Wall Connector offer a three-year period, while the much more expensive Fronius Wattpilot only offers two years.
Which is the most affordable option?
The Tesla Wall Connector (Gen 3) is the most cost-effective option with the price of the unit at $800 as per the Tesla Australia website. Installation costs around $750 to $1,500, meaning the upfront costs range from $1,550 and $2,300 in total.
Zappi and Fronius Wattpilot, on the other hand, cost over $1,000 on just the charger alone. Including installation costs, your total upfront costs for either Zappi or Wattpilot can go up to over $3,000.
Durability and Performance: Myenergi Zappi Review vs Wall Connector vs Wattpilot
All three options guarantee durability and performance, differing on features that you’ll find excellent or unnecessary depending on your needs. For instance, Zappi’s solar integration is best suited for those with existing solar power systems who want to make the most out of their solar investment.
Tesla has a similar feature but it’s only available to Tesla owners. Fronius Wattpilot’s solar integration feature, meanwhile, only works with a Fronius solar inverter. So in terms of solar integration, only Zappi offers utmost flexibility. Zappi, overall, is one of the most flexible chargers available on the market today, which, of course, translates to exceptional performance.
Conclusion: Tesla Wall Connector vs. Zappi vs. Fronius Wattpilot
If you own a Tesla, getting the Wall Connector is the practical choice. It integrates seamlessly with your car and other Tesla products like the Powerwall. It’s also one of the most affordable EV chargers around, not to mention it’s sleek and looks great on any wall.
If you’re looking for more advanced features and integration with various products, particularly smart solar charging, we’ll have to give the floor to Zappi. It’s more expensive than its main competitors Tesla and Fronius, but its integration with existing smart home systems and charging controls is superb.
The Fronius Wattpilot, meanwhile, is the smart choice if you have a Fronius solar inverter. When you connect your Wattpilot smart charger to the Fronius inverter app, you can monitor your entire household’s sustainable energy activities, from your solar production to your energy usage and EV charging, on a single platform.
Need more time and materials to make a decision about home EV chargers? Check out more guides here or call us at 1300 865 832 — we offer EV charging packages that include the best EV chargers in the market and professional installation conducted by our team of experts.
