Should I get a tethered or untethered charging socket for my new electric cars?

I'm about to purchase both a Toyota Prius plug-in and a Nissan Leaf. I have the option of getting a Chargemaster home charging unit for free via an offer from Toyota. I can have either a tethered unit or a Type 2 socket unit, but I'm unsure which is the best to go for. I understand both cars have Type 2 sockets for the charging inputs. I'm looking to the future when all EV cars have a Type 2 socket. Or has a standard yet to be determined, which may well change from Type 2 and thus make my unit obsolete? What would your advice be?

Asked on 17 September 2018 by

Answered by Andrew Brady

As you've probably gathered, there are pros and cons to both tethered and universal units. As both the Leaf and Prius Plug-in use Type 2 sockets, I'd be inclined to opt for the tethered charge point to save hassle messing around with charging leads every time you want to charge. Plus, if you change to another EV in the future that needs a different socket, you can buy adaptors or pay an electrician a small fee to change the socket.

Tags: hybrid electric cars hybrid cars phev

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