Hypervolt announced on 7 November 2023 that its chargers are now available through OVO Energy's turnkey EV charging offer, which the charger maker said launched in the summer of 20231. OVO customers can buy a charger with supply and installation from OVO's team of more than 100 UK engineers through the OVO website1.
The partnership pairs Hypervolt hardware with OVO's Charge Anytime tariff, which the announcement gives as 7p/kWh, described as less than 2p per mile for many new EVs1. Hypervolt said customers with a compatible electric car can use the 7p/kWh rate now, while full integration between Hypervolt chargers and Charge Anytime is "in the works and tipped for launch in the spring of 2024"1. OVO offers a choice of four chargers from three brands, with Hypervolt positioned as the premium option1.
"This innovative new partnership between Hypervolt and OVO, after long last, couples Britain's highest rated EV chargers with the nation's more affordable EV charging tariff"
Hypervolt's head of partnerships, David Woodford, said the project had been over a year in the making and was "just the first phase in what will be a far-reaching relationship"1. He said the financial case for electric vehicles for individuals and families had weakened after two major macroeconomic shocks in the past five years and their effect on energy prices, and that the OVO partnership "goes a long way to address this"1.
The announcement does not give the price of a Hypervolt charger bought through OVO, the terms of the installation service, or which specific Hypervolt models are included; none of these has been reported in the announcement1. It also does not state which cars are compatible with Charge Anytime, referring instead to OVO's own compatibility list1.
Why it matters for households
Charging at home is the main way a household with an electric car controls what it pays for motoring, because the rate attached to a home charger applies to most of the car's energy use. A tariff rate of 7p/kWh, as given here, is the figure that determines the running cost, and the announcement frames the partnership around that number rather than around the hardware alone1. For a home already thinking about EV charging, the significance is that a charger bought through an energy supplier can arrive with a tariff attached, rather than the household having to match the two separately.
The timing matters too. Until the full integration arrives, the 7p/kWh rate depends on the car being compatible rather than on the charger, so the charger and the cheap rate are not yet one system1. Details of the Hypervolt range are separate from the tariff question, and the announcement does not set out how the two will work together once integration is complete1.
What happens next
Full Hypervolt integration with Charge Anytime is expected in spring 2024, according to the announcement1. No further dates are given.
Sources1 cited
- OVO and Hypervolt Team Up To Provide Affordable Home Charging | Hypervolt, blog.hypervolt.co.uk