Why the Zappi Is Our Recommended EV Charger
The Myenergi Zappi is a British-designed smart EV charger built specifically to work with solar panel systems and home battery storage. It is the only EV charger on the market that can intelligently divert surplus solar energy directly to your electric vehicle — meaning you can drive thousands of miles every year powered entirely by free electricity from your roof.
For Energy Concerns customers who have solar panels installed (or are planning to add them), the Zappi is the natural choice. It integrates with any solar panel system — including the SolarEdge, GivEnergy, and Growatt systems we install — without requiring additional hardware or complex wiring. The Zappi detects surplus solar generation automatically and diverts it to your car.
Myenergi is based in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. Their products are designed, engineered, and manufactured in the UK. The Zappi has won multiple awards including the EV charger of the year from several industry publications. Energy Concerns is a certified Myenergi installer with direct manufacturer support.
Zappi Charging Modes Explained
ECO+ Mode — Free Solar Charging
Uses only surplus solar energy to charge your EV. The Zappi monitors your solar generation and household consumption in real time, and only diverts genuinely surplus electricity to your car. You pay nothing for this energy — it would otherwise be exported to the grid for 4-6p per unit. On a sunny day with a 4kW solar system, you can add 20-30 miles of free driving range.
ECO Mode — Solar + Grid Top-Up
Maximises solar usage while topping up from the grid to maintain a minimum charging rate. This mode is useful when you need to ensure charging completes by a certain time but still want to use as much free solar as possible. The Zappi automatically adjusts the grid/solar ratio based on available surplus.
FAST Mode — Full Speed Grid Charging
Charges at the full 7kW rate from the grid. Use this when you need a rapid top-up regardless of solar availability. Combined with smart scheduling, you can set FAST mode to activate during overnight off-peak tariffs (as low as 7.5p/kWh on Octopus Go) for the cheapest grid charging rates.
Solar + Zappi: The Numbers
The financial case for combining solar panels with a Zappi charger is compelling. Here is what a typical Leicester household driving 8,000 miles per year could expect:
Grid-only charging
£588/yr
At 24.5p/kWh standard rate
Off-peak only
£180/yr
At 7.5p/kWh (Octopus Go)
Solar + Zappi ECO+
£59–£118/yr
50-80% charged from solar
Per mile cost
1–2p
vs 15p/mile for petrol
Zappi vs Other EV Chargers
| Feature | Zappi v2 | Tesla Wall | Pod Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Diversion | Built-in (3 modes) | Needs extra kit | Not available |
| Power | 7kW / 22kW | 7.4kW / 11kW | 7kW |
| App Control | Yes (Myenergi) | Yes (Tesla app) | Yes |
| Smart Scheduling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OZEV Approved | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| UK Designed | Yes (Grimsby) | No (USA) | Yes (London) |
| Battery Integration | Native | Tesla only | Limited |
| Works With All EVs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price Installed | £950–£1,400 | £800–£1,200 | £800–£1,100 |
The Complete Solar + Battery + Zappi System
The most cost-effective home energy setup combines solar panels, battery storage, and a Zappi EV charger. Here is how the system works together throughout a typical day:
Morning (7am–12pm)
Solar panels begin generating. Household loads are met first. Surplus energy charges your battery. Once the battery is full, surplus diverts to your EV via the Zappi in ECO+ mode.
Afternoon (12pm–4pm)
Peak solar generation. Battery is full. Zappi continues charging your EV from surplus. Any remaining surplus is exported to the grid via the Smart Export Guarantee.
Evening (4pm–11pm)
Solar generation drops. Battery powers your home through the expensive peak period. No grid electricity purchased. Your EV sits charged and ready.
Overnight (11pm–7am)
If needed, the Zappi tops up your EV and battery from cheap off-peak grid electricity (7.5p/kWh on Octopus Go). Ready for the next day's solar cycle.
Zappi for Leicester Homes
Electric vehicle ownership in Leicester and Leicestershire is growing rapidly. With new petrol and diesel car sales ending in 2035, home charging infrastructure is becoming essential. The Zappi is particularly well suited to Leicester homes because it works within the existing electrical infrastructure of most properties — a dedicated 32A circuit from your consumer unit is all that is required.
Energy Concerns has installed Zappi chargers across Leicester, from terraced homes in the city centre to detached properties in Market Harborough and Loughborough. The installation typically takes half a day and includes a dedicated circuit, the charger unit, full testing, and handover training on the Myenergi app. If you are eligible for the OZEV grant, we handle the entire application process.
Frequently Asked Questions — Zappi EV Charger Leicester
The Zappi is the only EV charger specifically designed to work with solar panels and battery storage. Its three charging modes (ECO, ECO+, and FAST) allow you to choose between charging entirely from solar surplus, topping up from a mix of solar and grid, or charging at full speed from the grid. No other EV charger offers this level of solar integration without additional hardware or complex configuration.
A Zappi v2 charger typically costs between £950 and £1,400 installed, depending on the distance from your consumer unit to the charger location and any additional electrical work required. This includes the charger unit, dedicated circuit, installation, testing, and OZEV grant application if eligible. VAT on EV charger installation is 20%.
The OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles) grant provides up to £350 off the cost of installing an EV charger for eligible tenants and landlords. The Zappi is OZEV approved, and Energy Concerns handles the entire grant application process for you. Owner-occupiers are not currently eligible for the OZEV grant, but the Zappi remains highly cost-effective due to the free solar charging it enables.
A typical EV driven 8,000 miles per year uses approximately 2,400 kWh of electricity. Charged from the grid at 24.5p/kWh, that costs roughly £588 per year. In ECO+ mode, the Zappi diverts surplus solar energy to your car at zero cost. With a well-sized solar panel system, you could charge 50-80% of your driving from solar — saving £294-£470 annually on charging costs alone. This equates to driving for as little as 1-2p per mile.
Yes. The Zappi works perfectly as a standalone smart EV charger even without solar panels. You still benefit from smart scheduling (charge overnight on cheap tariffs), app control, energy monitoring, and future solar-readiness. Many of our customers install a Zappi first and add solar panels later — the Zappi automatically detects solar surplus when panels are added, with no reconfiguration needed.
If you have solar panels (or plan to add them), the Zappi is the clear choice due to its solar diversion capability — the Tesla Wall Connector cannot do this without additional hardware. If you drive a Tesla and have no solar plans, the Tesla Wall Connector integrates well with the Tesla app. For most Leicester homeowners with solar, we recommend the Zappi because it works with every EV brand, not just Tesla, and maximises the value of your solar investment.
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