Zappi EV Charger Review: Is It the Best Smart Charger for Your Home?
If you have an EV, you are likely familiar with common problems that come with them. The top of the list is the limited availability of public charging stations across Australia, along with the relatively high charging costs compared to standard household electricity rates.. This is where Zappi comes in, a sophisticated home charging solution designed to enhance convenience, reduce costs, and provide greater control over your EV charging experience.
What is Zappi?
Zappi is a smart home EV charger that has a number of smart functions to help you take better care of your EV and your electricity bill. The charger is one of the cheapest in the market, but it is still a robust solution. It comes in two colours, black and white, and with two charging speeds:
- 7 kW – for single-phase outlets and
- 22 kW – for three-phase outlets.
Charging Modes
Zappi is one of the most affordable chargers out there. However, this does not mean it lacks the functionality of more expensive EV chargers. Zappi enables three different charging modes for your car:
- Fast – draws power that is available, both from your solar panels and from your grid,
- Eco – draws power from your panels and the grid, but balances the power use depending on your home’s current energy use, and
- Eco Plus – draws energy from your solar panels only, enabling you most savings and driving at the lowest possible price and with least CO2 emissions.
Eco Charging your EV
It is the Eco and the Eco Plus charging options that we like Zappi for. They enable you to drive your EV with the least CO2 emissions, and they also allow you to have more control over your energy use. The smart options and settings allow you to either let Zappi do its work, or simply charge it during the preset periods.
Moreover, the simple control panel with intuitive controls also offers one more function. This sets up the amount of energy delivered to your EV. In this case, Zappi will control not only the speed at which it charges your car battery, but also the amount of energy it delivers. This is very useful if you want to keep your EV battery in its optimal 40-80% charge state.
Integrating Zappi into your Home Circuit
As Zappi is a power hungry device, we recommend always having professionals do the installation for you. This way, you will have the peace of mind that this device, which can draw as much as 32A of energy, is connected in a fire-safe way that will not interfere with your other appliances and devices.
Thus, having a dedicated circuit line and breaker for this device is a must. On the bright side, as it does not need a separate ground connection, you will enjoy the lower installation costs as well. Volteam only employs certified professionals to do a job like this. Moreover, we ensure that we can provide the greenest possible solution and offer combined installation of solar panels and your EV charger.
Zappi and Solar Panels
Zappi allows you to choose where the energy used for your EV comes from. The energy can come from:
- Grid only – the default setting if you have no solar array,
- A mix of grid and solar panel energy – the fastest option that comes at a medium charging cost, and
- Solar panels only – the greenest solution that is also the lightest on your pocket – it enables you to draw only the power coming from your panels
Zappi and your Home Battery
The smart controls and clamps enable Zappi to understand exactly where the energy drawn is coming from. This, in turn, provides you with the highest possible level of energy control. Zappi can also be preset so it does not drain your home solar battery, which extends its lifespan. You can also combine it with other energy-monitoring technology for even more control over your energy bill.
Zappi EV Charger: Final Consideration
The final verdict goes in favour of Zappi. This affordable smart EV charger allows you to drive your EV with the greenest possible energy. Volteam experts provide the services of installation, and a peace of mind that your investment will last for years to come, especially with a 3-year warranty that the brand offers. Contact us today for a quote and consultation with experts
