Do I need a smart EV charger?
In practice, yes. New home and workplace charge points in Great Britain are legally required to be 'smart' — able to schedule charging and respond to signals. Beyond compliance, a smart charger is how you actually save money: it charges your car during cheap off-peak hours and, if you have solar, can top up from surplus rather than the grid.
It's the law for new chargers
Since mid-2022, new home and workplace charge points sold and installed in Great Britain must meet smart charging regulations by default — so a compliant new install is already a smart charger. This isn't an optional upgrade; it's the standard.
Where the savings come from
The real value is pairing a smart charger with an EV electricity tariff. These offer much cheaper rates for a few hours overnight, and the charger schedules your car to fill up then automatically. Charging at the off-peak rate rather than the standard rate is where EV running costs drop dramatically.
Solar and app control
If you have (or plan) solar, many smart chargers can divert surplus generation into the car rather than exporting it cheaply. Most also give you an app to set schedules, see usage and start/stop charging — handy, though not essential to the savings.
Can I still buy a non-smart charger?
New compliant home and workplace chargers are smart by default under the regulations. A reputable installer will fit a compliant smart unit as standard.
Do I have to use the smart features?
No — you can plug in and charge like a normal point. But you'd be leaving the main benefit (cheap off-peak scheduling) on the table, so it's worth setting up.
Does a smart charger need internet?
Most connect via Wi-Fi for scheduling and app control. They'll still charge if the connection drops, but you get the smart benefits when they're online.