Tethered or untethered home charger
Some of the best home electric car chargers are still only available as tethered or untethered, so let's run through what this means along with the pros and cons.
A tethered EV charger: simply means the charging cable is permanently attached to the electric vehicle charger unit. Many customers find this more convenient as the cable is always at hand - you just need to uncoil it and plug it in to your vehicle. This way is very similar to the petrol pump experience, but with your electric car.
A tethered charger however, means there is a limitation to the cable length offered by the manufacturer; the standard being five metres. The Hypervolt offers 7.5m and 10m options. Off-street parking space can be limited, even for detached homes, so the charging unit and how it fits into the space's daily use requires consideration.
It’s important to check the cable matches the EV’s plug socket as EVs have different plug sockets for home charging.
Either Type 1 or Type 2 - the tethered charger will "fit" the electric car in advance. The current Japanese Imported Nissan Leafs, for example, have type 1 sockets, but all new Australian released EV’s are type 2 plugs.
Untethered EV charger An untethered charge point will require the car's charging cable to be plugged into both the home charger and the vehicle, much like how an extension cord is used. The untethered EV charger has a socket, which is why they are sometimes called "socket-only" EV chargers. eg. as in The Fronius Watt Pilot.
Untethered EV chargers don't usually come with a cable as standard, so one is needed to source. It’s a great idea to purchase purchase one of these to keep in the boot for the times when charging an electric car at public chargers is not only convenient but sometimes necessary.
An untethered charge point offers more flexibility, it’s convenient and can charge any electric vehicle because the socket is universal without cable length restriction - simply measure up and buy a suitably long-enough cable. As mentioned before, off road parking isn't always simple, so having extra space or the ability to use a longer cable may be useful.
Some customers find the untethered charging cable neater as it can be hidden from view and brought out only when needed.
This does come down to personal preference - would you rather bundle the cable into your boot and get it out each time you use the charger (but have an arguably neater look when not in use) or need to coil/uncoil the tethered cable on each use, but save time plugging in and not needing to place a potentially wet cable into your car?
PROS OF UNTETHERED CHARGERS
Works with all electric cars
No cables permanently on display
Option to choose your charging cable length
CONS OF UNTETHERED CHARGERES
Potentially less secure as the charging cable is easier to access
Supplying your own charging cable
Need to store the cable somewhere after each use
The cable may be wet or dirty before storing away
