Indra Smart PRO vs Indra Smart LUX

Same factory, £151 apart

Two chargers from the same Worcestershire production line, both 7.4kW, both tethered with 6-metre cables, both OZEV-approved. The Indra Smart PRO costs £395. The Indra Smart LUX costs £546. That £151 gap buys a thinner enclosure, tougher weatherproofing, and wider tariff coverage — but it does not buy more power, a longer warranty, or a fundamentally different charging experience. The question is whether the LUX's extras match your wall and your weather, or whether the PRO's included accessories already close the value gap.

• Indra Smart PRO — £395. Surge protection and solar CT clamp in the box. Narrower tariff list, but covers the main EV tariffs. The budget pick that doesn't feel budget.
• Indra Smart LUX — £546. IP67, IK10, 78 mm slim. Claims 1,000+ tariff integrations including half-hourly scheduling. The premium Indra for exposed or space-constrained installs.

What the PRO's price includes — and why it matters

The Smart PRO ships with a surge protection device and a CT clamp for solar diversion. On a typical install, an SPD fitted separately at the consumer unit runs £100–£150 in parts and labour; a CT clamp another £50–£100. Factor those in and the effective unit cost of the PRO drops toward the £150–£250 range — making it one of the cheapest fully-equipped smart chargers you can mount. The EVEC VEC03 at £349 and the Rolec EVO at £356 are cheaper on sticker price, but neither matches the PRO's included accessories.

The LUX also includes an SPD and adds PEN fault detection. Its quoted install cost is £300–£500, slightly lower than the PRO's £400–£600 — Indra's own estimate, presumably reflecting the PEN detection saving an additional component. Even so, total outlay (unit plus install) for the LUX will run higher in most cases.

The case for 78 mm and IP67

The LUX is 78 mm deep. That is thin enough to sit on a narrow pillar between a garage door and a boundary wall — the kind of spot where a standard 115 mm charger (the PRO's depth) would protrude awkwardly. At 3.6 kg it is lighter too, which matters less for the wall and more for the installer's afternoon.

IP67 means the LUX can survive temporary submersion. IP54 — the PRO's rating — handles rain and splashes. For a charger under an eave or inside a carport, IP54 is fine. For one bolted to an exposed gable end in Cornwall, IP67 offers genuine insurance. The IK10 impact rating adds resistance to knocks — useful in tight driveways where wing mirrors and wheelie bins travel close to the wall.

If your charger goes somewhere sheltered, the LUX's protection ratings are over-specified. If it goes somewhere exposed and tight, they earn their keep.

Tariff depth: how much scheduling do you need?

The PRO integrates with Octopus Intelligent Go, Octopus Go, OVO Charge Anytime, and EDF GoElectric. For most EV owners on a fixed off-peak window, that covers the ground. Set the schedule, charge at 8p–8.5p per kWh, done.

The LUX claims integration with over 1,000 tariffs, including half-hourly variable rates like Octopus Agile. If you are on Agile — or plan to switch — the LUX can chase the cheapest 30-minute slots automatically. The PRO cannot. That said, the Ohme Home Pro at £539 has a longer track record of Agile optimisation and includes 4G connectivity as standard, where the LUX charges roughly £250 extra for a 4G module. For Agile users specifically, the Ohme comparison is worth reading: see the Ohme Home Pro vs Indra Smart LUX page.

Both chargers support solar diversion via included CT clamps. Neither rivals the myenergi Zappi GLO for granular solar control, but for simple excess-to-car diversion they are adequate.

Which to buy

Buy the Indra Smart PRO if:

• Your charger sits somewhere sheltered — a garage wall, under an overhang, a carport
• You are on a fixed off-peak tariff like Octopus Go or EDF GoElectric and do not need half-hourly scheduling
• You want the lowest total cost including install, with SPD and CT clamp already in the box

Buy the Indra Smart LUX if:

• Your mounting spot is exposed to weather and tight on space — the 78 mm depth and IP67 rating are not vanity specs in that scenario
• You are on or moving to Octopus Agile and want half-hourly tariff chasing from the charger itself
• You value OCPP 1.6 support for future flexibility with energy management platforms

For most buyers, the PRO at £395 is the right Indra. It includes the accessories that matter, it covers the popular EV tariffs, and the £151 saved is better spent on a tidy install than on weatherproofing you may not need. The LUX earns its premium in a narrow set of circumstances — exposed walls, cramped mounting points, variable tariffs — and in those circumstances it earns it well. But the default answer is the cheaper one.