Sync, VEVOR, Ohme add home chargers

Home EV charging just got a little less one-size-fits-all. That is the real story here. Three different companies are all pushing products for the same basic problem — how do you charge an EV at home without wasting money, overbuilding the install, or locking yourself into a setup you will outgrow? But they are solving very different versions of that problem. ### What actually showed up? Sync Energy is pushing its Wall Charger 2 range as a compact residential charger with 7.4kW output, app control, tariff-aware scheduling, and solar charging features built in. Ohme is doing the smart-charger version of the same pitch with its 7.4kW Home Pro, which bundles tariff integration, solar charging, and standard installation into a £999 package. VEVOR is the outlier — not a full charger that lets one 240V outlet serve multiple loads without rewiring the house. ### Why are these not the same product? Because “home charger” now covers at least three categories. A wallbox like Sync’s is the standard electrician-installed answer. A smart charger like Ohme adds software-heavy features around tariffs, scheduling, and solar. A splitter like VEVOR is basically a workaround product — useful when a homeowner has a dryer-style outlet already and wants Level 2 charging without paying for a new dedicated circuit right away. ### What is Sync really selling? Sync is selling a normal-looking wall charger that tries to remove the usual friction. The Wall Charger 2 comes in socketed and tethered 7.4kW versions, with Wi‑Fi, LAN, and some 4G LTE variants. It also bakes in “Tariff Sense” and “Auto Solar Charge,” which means the charger is trying to optimize around cheaper electricity windows and excess solar generation instead of just dumping power. Pricing starts at £599, which puts it in the more aggressive part of the home-wallbox market. ### What is VEVOR really selling? Convenience, mostly. The VEVOR switch uses one NEMA 14-30 plug and two 14-30 receptacles, gives priority to the primary outlet, and shifts power to the secondary outlet after 90 seconds when the first load goes idle. It supports Level 2 charging, but only if the EVSE or charging cord is set below 24A. That is the catch — this is not a magic way to get full-power charging from a dryer circuit. It is a power-sharing box with limits. ### What is Ohme really selling? Software plus installation. The Home Pro is a 7.4kW tethered charger with a built-in screen, app control, tariff syncing, solar boost, multi-car support, and over-the-air updates. ### Why does this matter for electricians? Because the quote is no longer just “install a charger.” A Sync or Ohme job can mean load balancing, app setup, tariff onboarding, cable routing, and maybe solar integration. A VEVOR-style job might mean no new charger circuit at all — but more time explaining current limits, outlet priority, and what the box can’t do. The material list, labor time, and compliance conversation all change with the product category. ### Why now? Basically, the market is maturing. Early EV buyers often accepted whatever charger an installer recommended. Now buyers are segmenting. Some want the clean, permanent wallbox. Some want the smartest tariff optimizer they can get. Some just want to stop unplugging the dryer. These products reflect that split. ### Bottom line? Home charging is turning into three categories — but it also means the right answer depends much more on the house, the panel, the tariff, and how much compromise the owner will tolerate.