Eco

£TBC

(Without Installation)

WWC OVERALL RATING

TRUST PILOT RATING

BEST FEATURES

7kW or 22kW charging
Five-inch smart display
RFID
AutoCharge
Three-direction cable entry
IP55 weather protection
OZEV grant eligible
Four-year warranty

Socket Type:

Type 2

Power:

7kW and 22kW

Charger Type:

Untethered

Pros

7kW single-phase and 22kW three-phase versions
Excellent five-inch display
WiFi, Bluetooth and 4G connectivity
MSI aConnect app
AutoCharge functionality
Four-year warranty
Flexible installation

Cons

Fairly conventional design – a bit ordinary
Untethered only
No solar integration mentioned
Smart electricity tariff integration unclear

MSI might be a new name in EV charging for many UK drivers, but it’s certainly not a new name in technology.
And the Eco feels like a charger designed by a technology company.
The standout feature is undoubtedly the large five-inch display. While many manufacturers have moved almost everything onto a smartphone, MSI has gone in the opposite direction and gives you plenty of information directly on the charger.
That won’t matter to everyone, but we like being able to walk up to a charger and see what’s happening without reaching for a phone.
Behind that screen is a fairly comprehensive specification. There’s app control, RFID, AutoCharge and a choice of 7kW single-phase or 22kW three-phase versions.

The Eco isn’t going to disappear against your brickwork in the way some ultra-compact chargers do.

It’s quite a substantial-looking unit, dominated by that five-inch display and illuminated charging socket. Whether you like that will largely come down to personal taste.

There is, however, some clever thinking behind the installation.

The electrical cable can enter from the top, bottom or rear, giving installers more freedom to produce a tidy installation depending on where the charger is positioned.

It’s designed for outdoor use too, with IP55 protection, resistance to high temperatures and testing for salt mist and lightning surges.

This is probably the Eco’s strongest area.

MSI’s aConnect app lets you monitor charging, alter the charging current, schedule sessions and manage RFID cards.

But unlike chargers that rely almost entirely on their app, the Eco also puts plenty of information on the unit itself.

The five-inch display shows real-time charging information and status messages, and can also display fault information if something goes wrong.

There’s also AutoCharge. Once an authorised vehicle has been identified, you simply plug in and charging can begin without having to authenticate every session.

That’s exactly the sort of feature we like because good smart charging technology should ultimately make charging less complicated, not more complicated.

We’ll reserve judgement until UK pricing is confirmed, because that’s going to be crucial.
MSI is entering an extremely competitive market populated by established names including Ohme, Hypervolt, Zaptec and Andersen. The Eco therefore needs to be priced sensibly.
On specification alone, though, you’re getting plenty.
The four-year warranty is particularly welcome, while 22kW capability gives customers with three-phase electricity considerably more charging potential than the typical UK 7kW home charger.

Safety has clearly been a big part of the Eco’s development.

It includes RDC-DD leakage detection which can cut the power if an abnormal current is detected, while the casing uses UL94 V-0 flame-retardant materials.

Connectivity includes WiFi, Bluetooth and 4G, with RFID available for controlling access. MSI backs the charger with a four-year warranty.

The big unknown for us is energy integration. The supplied material doesn’t specify solar charging or direct integration with UK smart tariffs.

With rivals increasingly selling themselves on their ability to work with solar and tariffs such as Intelligent Octopus Go, that’s something we’d want to investigate further before giving the Eco its final score.

Model: MSI Eco
Charging: 7kW single-phase / up to 22kW three-phase
Connector: Type 2 untethered
Connectivity: WiFi / Bluetooth / 4G
Access: RFID / AutoCharge
Display: Five-inch smart display
Protection: RDC-DD leakage detection
Weather protection: IP55
Warranty: Four years
OZEV: Eligible for EV Chargepoint Grant

VERDICT

The MSI Eco is an interesting newcomer.

Its strongest feature is arguably something increasingly disappearing from home chargers: a really useful screen.

Add AutoCharge, good connectivity, 7kW and 22kW versions, flexible installation and a four-year warranty, and there’s a lot here to like.

We’re less convinced by the relatively conventional styling, and we’d like to know more about UK smart tariff and solar integration.

Ultimately, however, its success is likely to come down to price. If MSI gets that right, the Eco could be an interesting alternative to the established home charging brands.

Key Features

7kW or 22kW charging
Five-inch smart display
RFID
AutoCharge
Three-direction cable entry
IP55 weather protection
OZEV grant eligible
Four-year warranty

Key Features

Tethered and untethered models
12 metre cable as standard on tethered version
Compatible with Octopus Intelligent Go and OVO Charge Anytime
Solar and battery integration
Nationwide UK installation
Which? Trusted Trader
Excellent Trustpilot rating

Key Features

7.4kW single-phase charging (32A)
Tethered (5m or 7.5m) and untethered options
Dynamic load balancing with CT clamp included
Solar integration capability
OCPP 1.6 compatibility
RFID access control
IK10-rated robust casing

Key Features

Slimmest home EV charger on the market
Up to 7.4kW single-phase charging
IP67 waterproof and IK10 impact rated
Full smart tariff integration (e.g. Octopus Intelligent Go)
3-year warranty

Key Features

Future-proofed so you can get the best tariffs with Octopus Intelligent Go
5-metre cable, but a 7.5-metre cable is also available
Easy to fit so installation should present few sagas
App is easy to use and navigable
RFID tag gives more options and allows you to register older cars if they are not recognised

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Eco

£TBC

(Without Installation)

WWC OVERALL RATING

TRUST PILOT RATING

BEST FEATURES

Socket Type:

Type 2

Power:

7kW and 22kW

Charger Type:

Untethered

Pros

Cons

VERDICT

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