myenergi Zappi Review

myenergi Zappi: The Solar-First EV Charger

The myenergi Zappi is not just another EV charger. It is the only mainstream home EV charger specifically designed to prioritise solar energy over grid power — charging your car for free using electricity your panels would otherwise export at minimal feed-in tariff rates. For solar EV charging enthusiasts, nothing else comes close.

Who Makes myenergi?

myenergi is a UK-based energy technology company founded in 2016. Despite being a relatively young company, it has grown rapidly across the UK, Australia, Europe and North America by building products that genuinely integrate with home solar systems rather than simply being electric devices that happen to charge things. The Zappi is their flagship product and the one that built their reputation.

How the Zappi Works

The Zappi connects to your home electrical panel and uses current transformer (CT) clamps to monitor your solar generation and household consumption in real time. It then adjusts its charging output dynamically to use surplus solar power first.

Three charging modes:

• Eco mode: Uses any available solar surplus above a minimum threshold. If you are generating 3kW and using 1kW at home, the Zappi charges your EV with the remaining 2kW. When a cloud passes and surplus drops, charging slows proportionally. When surplus increases, charging speeds up.
• Eco+ mode: Only charges from 100% solar surplus. If there is no surplus, the car does not charge at all. This mode is for drivers who want genuinely free solar charging and are not in a hurry.
• Fast mode: Charges at full speed from the grid, like any standard charger. Use this when you need a full charge quickly regardless of solar production.

Real-World Solar Integration Testing

We tested the Zappi alongside a 6.6kW solar system over three months in Sydney. Results were striking. On a typical sunny day generating 28kWh, household consumption of 8kWh, and 4 hours of Eco+ charging: the car received approximately 10-12kWh of free solar energy — equivalent to 50-60km of range at zero cost. Over the test period, approximately 65% of our EV charging came from solar rather than the grid.

At $0.05/kWh feed-in tariff versus $0.30/kWh electricity rate, each kWh of solar used for EV charging is worth $0.25 more than exporting it. The Zappi pays for itself through this arbitrage in approximately 3-4 years for a typical solar EV household.

Installation Requirements

The Zappi requires professional installation by a licensed electrician — standard for any home EV charging installation. Unique to the Zappi: the electrician must also install CT clamps on your main supply cable and solar inverter output to enable solar monitoring. This takes approximately 30-60 minutes of additional installation time. Total installation cost: approximately $300-500 in Australia.

The Zappi works with any solar inverter and any EV that accepts a J1772 (North America) or Type 2 (Europe/Australia) connector — which is every modern EV except Tesla, which requires the included adapter.

App and Hub Connectivity

The Zappi can operate entirely without any app or internet connection — the rotary dial and LCD display handle all essential functions. For remote monitoring, scheduling, and integration with other myenergi products, the myenergi Hub ($99 additional) connects the Zappi to WiFi and the myenergi app.

The app shows real-time solar generation, home consumption, car charging rate, and historical data. It is functional but lacks the polish of EcoFlow or ChargePoint apps. myenergi has been improving the app steadily through updates.

myenergi Ecosystem

The Zappi integrates with other myenergi products including the Eddi (solar hot water diverter) and Libbi (home battery). Together, these create a complete solar energy management system: panels generate power, Eddi uses surplus for hot water, Zappi uses surplus for EV charging, and Libbi stores any remaining surplus for evening use. For solar panels maximising homeowners, this ecosystem is unmatched by any single brand competitor.

Compared to ChargePoint Home Flex

The ChargePoint Home Flex ($699) is the better choice if solar integration is not a priority — better app, simpler installation, more scheduling options. The Zappi ($749) wins decisively for solar EV households who want to genuinely charge from the sun. The $50 price difference is irrelevant compared to the fuel savings from solar-priority charging.

Final Score: 8.9/10

The myenergi Zappi earns its near-perfect score for solar EV households by solving a problem no other mainstream charger addresses. If you have solar panels and an electric vehicle, the Zappi is the obvious choice — it is the only product that makes these two technologies work together intelligently. For EV owners without solar, the ChargePoint Home Flex is a better fit.