The solar owner's favourite.
myenergi Zappi
The Zappi is one of the most common chargers on NI driveways, largely because of its solar smarts. Its eco modes can divert spare electricity from your panels into the car, so on a sunny day you can charge for next to nothing. It is a capable everyday smart charger too, with scheduling and tariff support.
- Power
- 7kW single-phase
- Cable
- Tethered or untethered
- Best for
- Charging the car from spare power off your solar panels
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Who the Zappi suits
Homes that already have solar PV, or are about to fit it, and want to top up the car from surplus generation rather than paying for grid power.
In short: Pick a Zappi if you have solar panels, or want the option, and want the car to drink your spare sunshine.
The myenergi Zappi is the solar owner's default for good reason: its Eco and Eco+ modes divert spare power from your panels into the car, so on a sunny day you charge for next to nothing, and it comes tethered or untethered to suit any driveway. Buy it if you have solar PV, or are about to fit it, and want surplus charging done properly. It is a large, capable British-made unit with a screen, an IP65/IK10 body and a supplied CT clamp for the solar smarts. Look elsewhere if you have no panels (a tariff-led Ohme saves more on a smart tariff), if you want the smallest unit on the wall, or if a polished app is a priority, since the myenergi app divides owners. For a solar household in NI, it remains the one to beat.
What stands out
The strengths that tend to matter when people choose the Zappi.
Genuine solar surplus charging
Eco and Eco+ modes detect spare solar power and divert it to the car, so you use what you generate instead of exporting it cheaply.
Tethered or untethered
One of the few popular ranges where you genuinely get to choose the cable style up front.
Established in NI
Widely installed locally, so most installers know it well and spares and support are easy to come by.
Zappi specifications
The key numbers, verified against the manufacturer's own figures, for the single-phase model typical of NI homes.
| Charge power | 7.4kW, single-phase (230V, 32A); a 22kW three-phase version exists, though few NI homes have three-phase |
|---|---|
| Connector | Tethered Type 2 (6.5m cable) or untethered Type 2 socket with a locking system |
| Dimensions | 439 x 282 x 122 mm (H x W x D), a notably large unit next to a compact charger like the Easee One |
| Weather rating | IP65, with an IK10 impact rating |
| Connectivity | Built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet; no cellular SIM, so it uses your home network for updates and app control |
| Solar and modes | Three modes (Eco, Eco+, Fast); one CT clamp is supplied, clipped around your incoming supply so the unit can see spare solar |
| Load management | Dynamic load balancing via the supplied CT clamp |
| Warranty | 3 years (register the product to activate the full warranty support) |
| Made in | Britain |
Smart features & tariffs
The Zappi handles scheduled and tariff-based charging through the myenergi app, so you can still target cheap overnight windows. Its standout, though, is blending grid and solar rather than tariff timing alone.
EV tariffs in NI explainedSolar charging
This is the reason most people choose a Zappi. If you have panels, its eco modes let you charge primarily (or only) from surplus solar, which is hard to beat for running cost. No panels yet but planning them? It future-proofs the driveway.
Compare with the ZappiTethered or untethered?
Sold in both tethered and untethered versions, so you can pick a fixed cable for convenience or a socket for a tidier wall and your own lead.
Electrically it makes no difference: it's a 7kW charge either way. Tethered is grab-and-go convenient; untethered keeps the wall tidy and your cable flexible. If you're unsure, note it on your quote and the installer will advise for your driveway.
Things to weigh up
No charger is right for everyone. The points below aren't dealbreakers, just the trade-offs to factor in.
- App opinions are mixed: some owners find it less slick or responsive than newer rivals, though the charging itself is reliable.
- If you have no solar and no plans for it, you may be paying for a feature you will not use; a tariff-led charger could suit better.
Whichever charger you choose, the install must be notified to NIE Networks, which is a legal requirement in NI. Our registered installers handle that paperwork as standard. See the full cost breakdown, check your grant, or see how comparing 3 quotes works.
myenergi Zappi review
Our neutral assessment, drawn from the manufacturer's specifications and widely-reported owner experience. We do not sell or fit hardware, so this is a buyer's-eye view, not a sales pitch.
Build and design
The Zappi is a large charger, 439mm wide and 282mm tall, so it is one of the more imposing units on a wall next to something like the Easee One. In its favour it is British-made, carries a graphical LCD screen and a multicolour status light, and is rated IP65 with an IK10 impact rating, so it copes with an exposed wall. You can have it tethered, with a 6.5m Type 2 cable, or untethered as a Type 2 socket with a locking system, which is one of the reasons it suits so many different driveways. It is a substantial, workmanlike unit rather than a design piece.
Solar behaviour: Eco and Eco+ in practice
This is the reason most people choose a Zappi. It ships with a CT clamp that your installer fits around the incoming supply so the unit can see the spare power your panels are exporting. Eco mode then blends grid and surplus solar, always keeping the car charging at least at a minimum rate, while Eco+ charges from surplus only and pauses when there is too much imported (grid) power, waiting for the sun to come back. Fast mode simply charges at full power like a normal charger. On a bright day the effect is a car topped up for next to nothing. If you have no panels and no plans for them, though, this is a feature you are paying for and will not use.
The myenergi app, honestly
The charging itself is dependable, and the app handles scheduling and tariff-aware charging so you can still target cheap overnight windows. The app is the part owners are most mixed about: some find it less slick or responsive than newer rivals such as the Hypervolt app, though it does the job and takes over-the-air updates. Worth knowing before you fit: unlike an Ohme, the Zappi has no built-in mobile SIM, so it leans on your home Wi-Fi or a wired Ethernet run. If the charger will sit in a detached garage with weak signal, plan the connection in.
Who should skip it
Skip the Zappi if you have no solar and no plans for it, since a tariff-led charger like an Ohme will save you more on a smart tariff for less outlay, or if wall space is tight and you want the smallest possible unit, where an Easee One or Zaptec Go fits better. If you have panels, or are about to, and want the car to drink your surplus, few units are as single-minded about it, which is exactly why it is so common on NI driveways.
Zappi: common questions
Is the Zappi tethered or untethered?
Tethered or untethered. Sold in both tethered and untethered versions, so you can pick a fixed cable for convenience or a socket for a tidier wall and your own lead.
Is the Zappi good for solar panels?
This is the reason most people choose a Zappi. If you have panels, its eco modes let you charge primarily (or only) from surplus solar, which is hard to beat for running cost. No panels yet but planning them? It future-proofs the driveway.
Does the Zappi work with EV electricity tariffs?
The Zappi handles scheduled and tariff-based charging through the myenergi app, so you can still target cheap overnight windows. Its standout, though, is blending grid and solar rather than tariff timing alone.
How much does it cost to fit a Zappi in Northern Ireland?
A 7kW home charger like the Zappi typically costs between £800 and £1,500 fitted in NI, depending on the cable run and any fuse-board work. Our installers also notify NIE Networks, which is a legal requirement here. Get 3 quotes to see the exact price for your home.