What’s the difference between a socket and tethered EV charger?

When you’re considering a charging station for your home or business, you’ll often need to choose between a socket version and a model with a fixed cable. Both serve the same main purpose: charging your electric vehicle. However, there are a few clear differences in terms of ease of use, flexibility and appearance.

Socket version: flexible and universal

A socket model (also known as a “charging station with socket”) has an open connection where you plug in your own separate charging cable. Usually, this is the cable that came with your car. This model is particularly useful if you have multiple EVs with different connectors or charging capacities, or if your charging station is publicly accessible.

Another advantage is the cleaner look on your wall when not in use – no dangling cables. The downside? You’ll need to fetch and store the cable from your boot every time. That can be inconvenient in bad weather or in the dark.

Tethered model: convenience and speed

A charging station with a tethered cable has – as the name suggests – a cable that is permanently fixed to the charging unit. All you need to do is plug it into your car. This saves time and effort, especially for daily charging. It’s ideal if you always drive the same vehicle and the charger is installed at a fixed, private location such as your driveway or garage.

The downside? Less flexibility. If you switch to an EV with a different connector type in the future, the fixed cable may no longer be compatible – requiring a new cable or charger.

Conclusion

If flexibility is important, go for a socket version. If you value convenience in daily use, a tethered model is the better option.