EVO

One of the quieter surprises in this selection. £449 from a British manufacturer with over a decade in commercial EV charging (Rolec Services, based in Boston, Lincolnshire), with a feature set that usually lives £100+ higher up the list. Built-in PME fault detection, a Type A RCD with 6mA DC protection, and surge protection all inside the unit — the installer skips three separate components at the consumer unit. On most jobs that saves £150–£250 of labour and materials, which takes the real-world installed cost into Easee One territory.

Two solar modes in the app: Eco blends grid with solar to hold a minimum rate; Eco+ charges from surplus only. CT clamp in the box. Connectivity is Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and Ethernet — no 4G, which is the one area where a cellular-dependent site wants a different charger. Five-year warranty, RFID with two cards included. The consumer app is newer and still being refined; the hardware is the confident part.

Best for: Value buyers who want solar, a long warranty, and minimal install extras from a proven British manufacturer.

Installation

Compact at 3 kg, 260 × 260 × 112 mm. PC-ABS housing with an aluminium heat sink — a small step up from the all-plastic builds at this price. The install advantage is the bundled safety. Built-in PME fault detection meets BS 7671 without a separate PEN device or earth rod — that alone usually saves £100–£250. Built-in Type A RCD with 6mA DC protection and surge protection further cut consumer-unit work. Add the included CT clamp for solar and load balancing, and the installation is about as clean as they come. Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Ethernet — Ethernet earns its keep in garages where Wi-Fi gives up. Untethered: no cable on the wall, bring your own Type 2. IP54 with IK10 — sheltered outdoor positions, well-protected against knocks. Full walkthrough in our install guide.

Tariff compatibility

Schedule-based integration through the Rolec EVO app, compatible with Octopus Go, EDF GoElectric, and similar fixed-window tariffs. Set the off-peak hours; the charger draws during them. No direct supplier API, so no automatic chase of Octopus Agile half-hours or extra Intelligent Go slots — the Ohme Home Pro still owns that ground. OCPP 1.6J opens the door to third-party energy management for more advanced optimisation. Per-session energy tracking in the app for watching running costs. Full pattern in our EV tariff guide.

Price

£29 below the Tesla Wall Connector and £86 below the Ohme Home Pro on the sticker — and the bundled safety suite takes another £150–£250 off install labour. The real-world effective unit cost lands around £250–£350 on a typical job; total installed in the £600–£800 bracket is plausible. Eligible for the £500 OZEV grant for renters and flat owners, which takes the bottom of the range below £500.

Against the field

Against the VCHRGD Seven Pro: five-year warranty against VCHRGD's three, and PME fault detection VCHRGD doesn't include; VCHRGD counters with a tethered cable option the Rolec lacks. Against the Easee One: £44 more for solar integration, Eco/Eco+ modes, and RFID — the Rolec's extras are worth the gap if you have panels. Against the Zappi GLO: Eco+ delivers comparable surplus-solar charging at 60% of the Zappi's price, though the Zappi's myenergi ecosystem has no real equivalent here.