What Is The Difference Between A Tethered vs Socketed EV Charger?

When it comes to ordering a home charger for your electric vehicle, the key difference between a tethered unit and a universal socket unit, is its flexibility and ease of use.

A universal socket unit can effectively charge any electric vehicle, provided the correct cable is used to connect it to the car. The unit attached to the wall does not come equipped with any cables – the cable for charging must be attached by the vehicle owner. The cable you will need for your car can be found in the boot, meaning that every time you wish to charge the car you will need to unlock the boot of the car and link the cable to the charger. Universal socket units are usually found in public places and company car parks, where a variety of different electric vehicles may use any one charger.

A tethered unit is the option created for ease of use at home – selected and installed with a tethered cable which slots into the charger and matches the model of your vehicle, meaning all you have to do is plug it in to the car with one quick action.