A tethered charger has the cable fixed to it. An untethered charger is a socket, and you plug in a Type 2 cable, usually the one that came with your car. For the same charger, a tethered version is usually €50 to €100 higher: an Ohme Home Pro (tethered) is about €1,249 installed against €1,199 for an Ohme ePod (untethered). One Kerry installer prices them the other way round, and the myenergi zappi costs the same either way.
Key points
Usually €50 to €100 more for the same charger. Across different chargers the gap can be wider, €50 to €150 or even €100 to €200. The pairs below are the same maker's tethered and untethered chargers, priced the same way.
| Charger | Tethered | Untethered | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohme Home Pro / Ohme ePod installed, before the grant | €1,249 | €1,199 | +€50 |
| Ohme Home Pro / Ohme ePod a supplier deal, after the grant | €1,150 | €1,050 | +€100 |
| 7.4 kW standard install Dublin, incl. VAT | €1,200–€1,550 | €1,100–€1,450 | +€100 |
| Ohme Home Pro / Ohme ePod Kerry package, "from" price | €1,999 | €2,099 | −€100 |
| zappi a supplier deal, after the grant | from €1,199 either way | €0 | |
| Tethered | Untethered | |
|---|---|---|
| Plugging in | Unhook the cable and plug in | Get the cable out of the boot, plug both ends |
| Cable length | Fixed: 5 or 8 m (Ohme Home Pro), 6.5 m (zappi), 5 m (BENY) | Whatever cable you buy |
| Older Type 1 car | Fixed to one connector type | Works with the right cable |
| On the wall | Cable coiled on the unit | A small socket |
| Cable theft | Cable is fixed | Cable can be taken; some sockets lock |
The tethered case is convenience. Ohme puts it plainly: with the cable already there, you don't need to go looking for a separate one "when, say, returning home late at night or in bad weather". The catch is that the length and the plug are fixed. myenergi lists the limits as a fixed cable length and being "restricted to either Type 1 or Type 2", so a car with a different connector later means a new cable arrangement.
The untethered case is flexibility and looks. Ohme says some people choose its ePod for "its simpler looks if the charger is in a prominent position on the front of your home", that it works with older Type 1 cars such as a first-generation Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi Outlander, and that you can buy whatever cable length you need. The zappi's socket version comes "with Locking System".
All modern EVs and plug-in hybrids sold in Ireland use the same Type 2 connection, so a Type 2 tethered cable fits your car and most cars you'd buy next. Speed is the same: both versions of a 7 kW charger charge at the same rate.
SEAI pays "up to the value of €300" towards a home charger. It only supports smart chargers on its Smart Charger Register, the work must be done by a Safe Electric registered contractor, and you must not "commence any work before the start date on your Letter of Offer" (SEAI). Tethered or untethered doesn't change any of that. What matters is that the exact model on your quote is on the register. See how to claim the grant.
Prices for every model are on what it costs. Choosing the charger itself: which home charger suits which house.
Tell us where you are and where you park. We come back with a fixed written price for either version, and whether the €300 grant applies.
No cost, no obligation. We price the job and introduce you to a Safe Electric registered electrical contractor. We are not an electrical contractor ourselves.
Neither is better in every house. Tethered is quicker to use because the cable is fixed to the charger. Untethered looks tidier, lets you choose the cable length and works with an older Type 1 car if you have the right cable. If you park in the same spot every night within reach of the wall, most people find tethered easier.
For the same charger, usually €50 to €100. A tethered Ohme Home Pro is about €1,249 installed and an untethered Ohme ePod about €1,199. A tethered 7.4 kW job usually costs about €100 more than an untethered one. The zappi is the same price either way.
Usually not. An untethered charger is a Type 2 socket and you use your own cable, normally the one supplied with your car. An untethered charger comes with no cable.
Yes, either. SEAI pays up to €300 if the exact model is on its Smart Charger Register, the work is done by a Safe Electric registered contractor, and nothing starts before the start date on your Letter of Offer.
It depends on the model: the Ohme Home Pro comes with a 5 or 8 metre cable, the zappi with 6.5 metres, and the BENY charger with 5 metres. Measure from the wall to your car's charging port before you choose.
