Complete guide to Pod Point home chargers

Pod Point is one of the oldest and largest charging point operators that you’ll find in the UK. It was set up back in 2009, and over that time it’s produced and installed more than 211,000 plug-in hybrid and electric vehicle charging points. 

The home wallbox charger offered by Pod Point is the Solo 3, which has been on sale in its current updated form since November 2021. It’s available in three power outputs – 3.6kW, 7kW and 22kW – and you can choose to have one with a built-in charging cable (tethered), or with an open plug socket for the charging cable that came with your car (untethered).

Prices including installation start from £799 for an untethered 3.6kW Solo 3, and top out at £1,749 for the tethered 22kW charger – though you’ll need three-phase electrics for one of these, which isn’t very common in UK homes. On all Solo 3s, the tethered version carries a £50 premium over the untethered charger. If you have access to dedicated off-street parking and live in either a flat or a rented property, you can also make use of a £350 saving off the price of the charger through the government’s OZEV EV chargepoint grant.

As well as producing chargers for homes, workplaces and public locations, Pod Point operates its own network of rapid chargers. You’ll have likely noticed them while out and about – the British company has been rolling out charging points in Tesco supermarket car parks since 2019, for instance. Pod Point currently operates more than 9,000 charging bays across the country.

Pod Point Solo 3 home wallbox charger

The Solo 3 charger is the only home charger Pod Point makes, but as we mentioned there are several versions available. You can choose from either a 3.6kW setup, a mid-range 7kW charger or the most powerful one at 22kW. 

In order to run that most-powerful 22kW Solo 3, though, you’ll need a three-phase electricity supply, which many UK households do not have. Be sure to find out whether or not you have a three-phase power supply before committing to a 22kW charger. 

Speed aside, there are other ways in which you can tailor the Solo 3 for your needs. You can choose to have a tethered unit, which you plug into your electric car using the attached cable, or an untethered one (pictured above) with a Type 2 socket that you access by lifting a flap. Like most other home chargers, the Solo 3 can be mounted onto a wall, though if this isn’t practical for you, Pod Point also sells a free-standing mount for the Solo 3. 

All versions are wi-fi-enabled, which allows over-the-air software updates for the life of the Solo 3, while also giving access to data from the charger in Pod Point’s smartphone app. Once you’ve entered your energy tariff’s rates, the app can also display the cost and amount of energy used during each charging session.

The Pod Point app can be used to schedule when your charging sessions begin, too. If you have a dual-rate energy tariff, this allows you to make the most of off-peak energy prices and help top-up your EV or PHEV for less.

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Every Solo 3 is covered by a three-year warranty (this can be extended to five-years for £99) and the cost of a ‘standard’ installation is included in the price. Pod Point says 90% of its customers qualify for standard installation, but you may have to pay extra if installing a charging point at your property turns out to be more complex.

Pod Point will perform a remote survey before your installation and carry out a more thorough survey when the installer arrives. A number of accessories are offered, including extended charging cables, plug holsters, and a key lock if you’re concerned about unauthorised use of your charger. For more information on home chargers, read our guide to finding the right wallbox for you here.