№ 20 · UK-built with 5-year warranty · 2026 review
Rolec
EVO
Review verdict
Rolec EVO decision summary
- Unit only
- £356
- VAT included
- Installed estimate
- £756–£956
- derived market estimate
- Warranty
- 5 years
- Grant position
- Approved unit
- Customer and property eligibility is separate
What stands out
Main limitation
The installed range is an estimate. The source date above is separate from the editorial review date.
One of the quieter surprises in this selection. £356 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 £200 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 puts the effective unit cost nearer £150 than £350.
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
Fitting the Rolec EVO.
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.
Specification
- Max Power Output
- 7.4kW (single-phase only)
- Cable Length
- Untethered (use own cable)
- Connector
- Type 2 socket
- Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, Ethernet
- Dimensions
- 260mm × 260mm × 112mm
- Weight
- 3 kg
- IP Rating
- IP54 + IK10 (weatherproof + highest impact resistance)
- Certification
- OLEV/OZEV approved, Red Dot Award 2024
Tariff compatibility
What it costs to run.
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.
Best pairing
EDF GoElectric
- Off-peak rate
- 6.99p
- Saving / year
- £546
Estimated at 10,000 miles a year against the 26.11p/kWh standard rate.
Compare every tariffPrice
What you actually pay.
The unit is currently £356. £400–£600 is the working installation range, putting a typical installed total at £756–£956. Representative street price; Rolec RRP is higher.
Five-year total
£1,855
Charger, installation, and five years of electricity on EDF GoElectric, at 10,000 miles a year.
Less £500 if you qualify for the OZEV grant.
Against the field
How it compares.
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: £133 cheaper, with solar integration, Eco/Eco+ modes and RFID the Easee doesn't have; what the Easee keeps is its Type B RCD and the lifetime 4G SIM. 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.
Cross-shopped with
What we loved
- Plus£356 and built in Boston, Lincolnshire — proper British manufacturing at budget-smart pricing
- PlusFive-year warranty from a decade-old commercial EV-charging manufacturer
- PlusSolar integration with Eco and Eco+ surplus-only modes; CT clamp included
- PlusBuilt-in PME fault detection — skips a separate PEN device or earth rod and saves £100–£250 on install
- PlusBuilt-in Type A RCD and surge protection — further install savings
- PlusWi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and Ethernet for connectivity
- PlusIP54 + IK10 — fully weatherproof with top-tier impact resistance
What we didn't
- MinusUntethered only; no tethered option
- MinusNo 4G cellular fallback — Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Ethernet only
- MinusNo on-unit display; status lives in the app
- MinusThe consumer app is newer and still being refined through OTA updates
- MinusNo cable-lock feature, unlike the Cord Zero or VCHRGD
After the evidence
Ask installers to price this exact charger.
The installation brief carries Rolec EVO as your preference, together with the property and parking details needed for a useful response.
Related reading
Keep going →
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OZEV EV Charger Grant UK 2026
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