MEET THE ANDERSEN A2 7KW VERSION

ANDERSEN A2 EV CHARGER – Our intelligent and stylish EV charging point is compatible with all electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, along with hosting our signature feature of an integrated cable to hide the charging cable and plug from sight when not in use.

With smart controlled connectivity, unrivalled aesthetics and pioneering technology, the Andersen A2 gives you the power to control the energy between your home and EV and solar panels.

Get ready to transform your EV charging experience.

• Compatible with all type 2 electric and hybrid cars
• CE certified
• 3 years of Andersen care cover (subject to warranty terms)
• No need for earth rods, this allows for a cheaper, quicker installation

• Compatible with all type 2 electric and hybrid cars
• CE certified
• 3 years of Andersen care cover (subject to warranty terms)
• No need for earth rods, this allows for a cheaper, quicker installation

Available to buy here.

ANDERSEN A2 EV CHARGER

The Andersen A2 is the most expensive smart charger we’ve tested, costing £995 for the hardware only, or £1,135 with a wooden fascia. It basically costs around £500 more than most other chargers including installation.

It’s a tall price to pay, but it is justifiable from a hardware perspective.

ANDERSEN A2 EV CHARGER – The first thing you notice about the Andersen A2 is it doesn’t look like a charger. It’s tethered but the cable is nowhere to be seen.

That’s because the cable is stashed into a hidden compartment built into the charger. With no cable on show, it’s as clean and tidy as a tethered charger gets.

The design is brilliant, with a metal or wooden fascia available in multiple colours. You can also change the colour of the casing.

The ANDERSEN A2 EV CHARGER is also more than just a pretty face, designed to make installation simple with lots of space in the case, in-built earthing, and bespoke components.

The app (Konnect +) is the only weak spot. We didn’t experience problems with scheduling, connectivity or tracking charging costs, but the interface isn’t as slick as Ohme’s or Hypervolt’s app and recent user reviews show frustration with missed schedules. It’s something to consider before dropping your cash.

Is the Andersen A2 easy to install?

The ANDERSEN A2 EV CHARGER doesn’t require an earth rod because it has built-in PME (pen fault) protection, which simplifies installation.

Installation starts with fixing the A2 base to the wall, followed by preparing the A2 for supply cable entry.

Cable entry can be from the rear for a clean installation or the bottom, depending on whether you want the cable on show. The standard entry is from the rear and drilling can be done on the wall.

Next, you terminate the supply power cable, terminate the sensor cables, terminate the vehicle side charging cable, and fit the weather project covers. The last steps involve fixing the side panels and case to the charger.

Installation requires Type A RCD protection and the installation of 40A overcurrent protection – both simple jobs for an experienced electrician.

The charger has in-built protection provided via a Type B electronic RCD 30mA AC/6mA DC, so electrical work on the outside is minimal in most installations.

Overall, installation is easy, although space inside the case is restricted due to the small footprint. Bespoke components feature throughout the build, giving the impression that the A2 is a seriously well-designed piece of kit.

Design

The ANDERSEN A2 EV CHARGER doesn’t look like an EV charger. There’s no charging cable on show, nor are there any bright flashing lights. When installed with a rear cable entry, it’s the sleekest charger on the market by some distance.

It also has a perceptible quality advantage over other smart chargers, with an aluminium frame and polycarbonate parts. It feels rock-solid and inspires confidence from the internal components to the EV cable.

As standard, the A2 has an aluminium front panel available in eight colours and the side panels are also available in eight colours. For £120, you can add an Accoya wood front panel in four finishes (I’m partial to Sorong Teak).

On the front of the Andersen, next to the logo, there are three small LED lights that provide at-a-glance status information. The lights can display green, red and yellow in any combination, and getting used to these is tricky at first.

There are five LED statuses you will commonly encounter:

• Solid green – ready to charge
• Solid green and solid red – charger locked
• Green LED solid, Amber LED flashing – EV connected
• Green LED is solid, Amber LED solid – charging
• Green flashing light – scheduled charging. Vehicle preparing to start a scheduled charge, or vehicle has ended the charge.

The status lights are simple but effective, giving you an indication of what’s happening so you don’t have to whip out your smartphone.

The design is minimalist with a touch of Scandinavian flair, but the real treat is how it stores the cable when not in use.

Built-in cable tidy

The Andersen A2 has cable storage built into the case, which swallows the 5.5m cable so it is never on show when the charger is not in use. The cable can be wound clockwise or anticlockwise and it works brilliantly.

How is this possible? While some EV cables are stiff, the A2’s cable is ultra-flexible and pliable.

The way the cable tidy works is you lift a flap, take out the charger head and unwind the cable through the gap built into the front panel. You unwind it to the desired length, plug in and you’re good to go.

Overall, the Andersen A2 is a beautiful charger that’s designed and engineered to perfection. It is clearly designed by EV owners because it just works. It’s as good as it gets from a hardware perspective.

Charging speeds

The Andersen A2 charges at 3.6kW on 16A and 7kW on 32A for single-phase properties, and there’s a 3-phase model that charges up to 22kW. Most homes have a single-phase supply, but commercial buildings are usually on 3-phase.

At 7kW, the A2 adds up to 25-miles of range per hour. However, you may experience slower charge speeds if your battery is cold. Pre-heating your car battery before charging will unlock the fastest charging speeds.

Connectivity

You connect the Andersen A2 to your home Wi-Fi. It supports 802.11 b/g/n and 802.11 n (2.4 GHz), up to 150 Mbps. Annoyingly, the Andersen A2 doesn’t have Ethernet, which will be a dealbreaker if you don’t have good Wi-Fi.

Additionally, the A2 has Bluetooth so you can control the charger with your smartphone should your Wi-Fi go down.

Cable length

You get a 5.5m cable as standard but you can upgrade to an 8.5m cable optionally with the 7kW unit. 22kW units only come with a 6.5m cable.

Solar integration

The A2 has feeds for solar, letting you charge with solar power. You can set it to charge with 100% solar or supplement grid power in the app.

It uses a CT that is installed onto the grid import cable for solar generation. With the Konnect+ app, you can see exactly how much energy you are using from the grid and/or from solar at any one time.

You need to buy the optional Solar Basic Pack for this feature, which includes a grid CT clamp sensor. The additional cost is around £120. However, in practice, any CT clamp for solar will do.