Andersen EV announced on 23 March 2023 that it has launched an augmented reality (AR) tool for its A2 home charger, which it says makes it the only premium EV home charging company offering one. The tool is free to use and lets a potential customer see how a charging unit would look attached to the exterior of their home or workplace1.
The company says the tool is simple and free of charge, and helps the user envisage the appearance of the A2 in different positions, tailoring the colour and finish of the unit's exterior panel in 3D digital renders1. Customers reach it through the Andersen website. Using a mobile device camera, the tool first scans the area to establish the correct scale, then places the unit in the centre of the screen for the user to move as they wish1.
The A2 is offered with 96 colours and multiple finishes, including four durable natural wood options, which Andersen says help the unit blend with modern or period homes1. The company states the A2 is hand-made in the UK and has over 90 customisable design features1. David Martell, chief executive of Andersen EV, said:
"Our A2 unit is the only home charger where the cable is completely hidden, allowing it to sit discreetly on the outside of any property."
Andersen EV was acquired by EVIOS Plc in October 2022, and the company has since set out a 12-month plan to accelerate growth, investing at least £1.5 million in product development, refinements to the Konnect+ app and an enhanced customer service offering1. EVIOS was established by the team that built up Chargemaster over 10 years before selling it to BP for £130m in 2018, and makes the EVIOS One, which it describes as the first unit of its kind to offer multi-user functionality and PIN-controlled access1. The AR tool is described as the first in a series of user-centric enhancements for the A2 in 20231.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost to use | Free of charge1 |
| Device | Mobile device camera1 |
| Colours | 96, with multiple finishes1 |
| Wood options | Four durable natural wood finishes1 |
| Design features | Over 90 customisable1 |
Why it matters for households
A home charger is a permanent fixture on a wall or driveway, and its appearance is one of the few parts of a home energy setup a household cannot easily change later. An AR tool addresses the gap between a catalogue image and the actual brick, render or cladding it will sit against, and lets a household test colour and finish choices before committing1. For energy independence, the practical value is indirect: the tool concerns the look of the unit, not its charging speed, tariff compatibility or how it interacts with solar panels or a home battery. None of those technical details appear in the announcement1. Households weighing a charger will still need specifications and installation requirements, which have not been reported here.
What happens next
Andersen says the AR tool is the first in a series of user-centric enhancements for the A2 during 2023, under a 12-month plan announced after the EVIOS acquisition1. No dates for further enhancements have been reported1.