Ohme EV Charger Installation — Smart Charging That Saves You Money

Why Ohme Is the Smartest EV Charger on the Market

If you are looking for a home EV charger that does more than simply deliver electricity to your car, Ohme is the standout choice. Unlike conventional smart chargers that require you to set schedules manually, Ohme chargers connect directly to your energy tariff and automatically charge your vehicle when electricity is at its cheapest. For drivers on time-of-use tariffs like Octopus Intelligent Go, OVO Energy or EDF GoElectric, this integration can save hundreds of pounds per year without you lifting a finger.

ALPS Electrical is an approved Ohme installer serving Teesside, the North East and Yorkshire. We install both the Ohme Home Pro and the Ohme ePod, and we handle everything from the initial survey and electrical assessment through to installation, commissioning and OZEV grant application.

Ohme Home Pro vs Ohme ePod — Which Should You Choose?

Ohme currently offers two chargers for residential installation, and choosing between them depends on your priorities, budget and setup requirements.

Ohme Home Pro

The Ohme Home Pro is the premium option and the one we install most frequently. It delivers up to 7.4kW on a single-phase supply and features a built-in 7-inch touchscreen display, integrated cable management and a sleek design that sits flush against the wall. The Home Pro connects to your home Wi-Fi and communicates directly with supported energy suppliers to schedule charging around the cheapest half-hour slots throughout the night.

Key features of the Ohme Home Pro include dynamic tariff integration with Octopus Energy (including Intelligent Go, Go and Agile), OVO Energy and EDF. It also supports solar-aware charging if you have solar panels installed, allowing the charger to prioritise surplus solar energy before drawing from the grid. The built-in energy monitoring screen shows you exactly how much you are spending and saving in real time, which is something most other chargers require a separate app to view.

The Home Pro is available in both tethered (cable attached) and untethered (socket only) configurations. For most homeowners, we recommend the tethered version for convenience — you simply grab the cable and plug in, rather than retrieving a cable from the boot of your car each time.

Ohme ePod

The Ohme ePod is the more affordable entry point into Ohme's smart charging ecosystem. It is a compact, socketed (untethered) charger that delivers the same 7.4kW charging speed and retains all the smart tariff integration features that make Ohme stand out. The ePod lacks the touchscreen display of the Home Pro, but all the same functionality is accessible through the Ohme app on your phone.

The ePod is a solid choice if budget is a consideration or if you prefer a smaller unit on the wall. It is also popular with households that have two EVs or different connector types, since you can use any Type 2 cable with the universal socket.

Dynamic Pricing Integration — How Ohme Saves You Money

The single biggest advantage of an Ohme charger over its competitors is its direct integration with energy suppliers. Here is how it works in practice.

When you plug your car in and tell the Ohme app what time you need it ready and what charge level you want, Ohme communicates with your energy tariff provider to identify the cheapest half-hour periods overnight. It then schedules charging exclusively during those windows. On a tariff like Octopus Intelligent Go, which offers electricity at around 7.5p per kWh for six hours overnight, this can reduce your charging costs to as little as £2-3 for a full charge compared to £8-10 at standard daytime rates.

Over the course of a year, drivers covering 10,000 miles can expect to save between £400 and £700 compared to charging on a flat-rate tariff. That saving alone can pay for the charger within 12-18 months.

Supported Energy Tariffs

Ohme currently offers full integration with Octopus Energy (Intelligent Go, Go, Agile, Flux and Cosy), OVO Energy (including their EV-specific tariffs), and EDF GoElectric. If you are not yet on one of these tariffs, switching is straightforward and we can advise you on which tariff delivers the best value based on your usage patterns and whether you also have solar panels or battery storage.

For customers on Octopus Intelligent Go specifically, the Ohme charger unlocks additional cheap rate hours beyond the standard off-peak window. Octopus uses the Ohme charger to help balance the grid, and in return you receive more hours of 7.5p electricity — a genuine win-win.

Ohme vs Zappi — An Honest Comparison

We install both Ohme and MyEnergi Zappi chargers, and customers often ask which one is better. The honest answer is that it depends entirely on your setup and priorities.

The MyEnergi Zappi is the better choice if you have solar panels and want to maximise self-consumption. The Zappi can divert excess solar generation directly to your car in real time, giving you genuinely free miles. It does this without needing an internet connection, using a CT clamp to monitor your generation and grid import in real time. If your car is plugged in during the day while the sun is shining, the Zappi is hard to beat.

The Ohme Home Pro is the better choice if you want the lowest possible charging costs through tariff integration. While the Ohme does support solar-aware charging, it is not as seamless as the Zappi's hardware-level solar diversion. However, for the majority of EV owners who charge overnight rather than during the day, Ohme's tariff optimisation delivers greater savings.

If you have both solar panels and a time-of-use tariff, the decision comes down to whether you are home during the day (favouring Zappi) or primarily charge overnight (favouring Ohme). We are happy to discuss your specific situation during the survey and recommend the right charger for your circumstances.

OZEV Grant — Save Up to £350

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) grant provides up to £350 towards the cost of a home EV charger installation. ALPS Electrical is an OZEV-approved installer, which means we handle the entire grant application process on your behalf. You simply pay the reduced price — there is no need to apply separately or wait for reimbursement.

To qualify for the OZEV grant, you need to own or lease an eligible electric vehicle (fully electric or plug-in hybrid), have off-street parking where the charger will be installed, and use an OZEV-approved installer. The grant applies to both the Ohme Home Pro and the Ohme ePod.

For landlords and rental properties, the grant amount increases to up to £350 per installation point, and there is no limit on the number of properties you can claim for. We have installed chargers for landlords across multiple properties in Teesside and the wider North East.

What the Installation Involves

A typical Ohme charger installation takes between 2 and 4 hours. During the initial survey, we assess your consumer unit, meter position, earthing arrangement and the proposed cable route from the consumer unit to the charger location. If your consumer unit needs upgrading to accommodate the additional circuit, we will include this in the quote.

On installation day, we run a dedicated 10mm cable from your consumer unit to the charger position, protected by a 32A RCBO in the consumer unit. The charger is mounted to the wall at your chosen height and position, the cable is routed as neatly as possible using trunking or clips, and we commission the unit and connect it to your Wi-Fi. We then walk you through the Ohme app setup, including connecting to your energy tariff if applicable.

All ALPS Electrical installations are carried out by NAPIT-registered electricians and comply with BS 7671 wiring regulations and the IET Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging. Every installation comes with a signed electrical certificate and OZEV compliance documentation.

Three-Phase Ohme Installation

If your property has a three-phase electricity supply, the Ohme Home Pro can deliver up to 22kW of charging power. This is significantly faster than the 7.4kW available on a standard single-phase supply and can fully charge most EVs in 1-2 hours. Three-phase installations are more common on farms, commercial premises and some larger detached properties. We carry out three-phase Ohme installations across the region and can advise whether your supply is suitable during the survey.

Book Your Ohme Installation

ALPS Electrical installs Ohme EV chargers across Teesside, County Durham, North Yorkshire, and the wider North East. Our pricing includes the charger, all cabling, installation, commissioning, OZEV grant application and a full electrical certificate. We typically complete installations within 1-2 weeks of survey.

Call us on 01642 790 489 or fill in the form on this page for a free, no-obligation quote. We will arrange a survey at a time that suits you and provide a fixed-price quote with no hidden extras.