Zaptec Go 2 vs EO Mini Pro 3: Future-Proofed vs Pocket-Sized

Future-Proofed vs Pocket-Sized: Two Compact Chargers With Very Different Priorities

On paper, the Zaptec Go 2 and the EO Mini Pro 3 look remarkably similar. Both cost around £700, both are OZEV-approved, both are impressively small, and both promise smart charging features that can save you hundreds of pounds a year on off-peak electricity. But scratch beneath the surface and these two chargers are pulling in completely different directions.

The Zaptec Go 2 is a forward-looking proposition — the UK's first V2G-ready AC home charger, designed for drivers who want to future-proof their setup for a world where your EV battery can sell power back to the grid. The EO Mini Pro 3, on the other hand, is laser-focused on the here and now: it is quite possibly the smallest home EV charger you can buy, roughly the size of an A5 sheet of paper, with practical extras like included solar diversion hardware and British Gas cashback integration.

If you are weighing up these two, you are likely someone who values compact design and smart features but needs to decide whether to invest in tomorrow's technology or maximise today's savings.

In a nutshell:

• Zaptec Go 2 (£707): The UK's first V2G-ready AC home charger with free 4G connectivity and a MID-approved energy meter — built for the long game.
• EO Mini Pro 3 (£699): The smallest charger on the market with a CT clamp included for solar diversion and British Gas Power+ cashback — built for immediate value.

Spec Comparison

Power and Charging Speed

The Zaptec Go 2 has a clear edge here. At 7.4kW on a standard single-phase UK supply, it will add roughly 30 miles of range per hour to a typical Tesla — enough to fully charge a Model 3 Long Range from near-empty in around 8.5 hours overnight. Crucially, it also supports 22kW three-phase charging, which is rare for a home charger at this price. If you happen to have a three-phase supply (or plan to upgrade), charging times drop to around 2.7 hours for a 60kWh battery. That is a genuine differentiator.

The EO Mini Pro 3 tops out at 7.2kW on single-phase only. In practice, the 0.2kW difference versus the Zaptec is negligible — we are talking minutes over an overnight charge, not hours. But the lack of any three-phase option means the EO is firmly a single-phase-only proposition. For the vast majority of UK homes, this will not matter one bit. But for the small percentage with three-phase power, or anyone future-proofing a new build, the Zaptec is the only choice here.

Smart Tariff Integration and Savings

Both chargers support scheduled charging, which is the baseline requirement for taking advantage of cheap overnight electricity on tariffs like Octopus Go (7.5p/kWh between 00:30 and 04:30) or Octopus Intelligent Go (~7p/kWh). Charging a Tesla Model 3 at these rates rather than the daytime average of around 24p/kWh can save you roughly £300-£400 per year based on average UK mileage of 7,400 miles.

Where the EO Mini Pro 3 pulls ahead is with its smart tariff presets. The app comes with built-in profiles for Octopus Go, EDF Go Electric, and others, making setup straightforward — you pick your tariff and the charger handles the rest. There is also the British Gas/Hive Power+ integration, which credits back 25% of your charging costs if you are within the Hive ecosystem. That is a tangible, real-world saving that no other charger in this comparison offers, though it does lock you into British Gas.

The Zaptec Go 2 takes a different approach. Its OCPP 1.6J compliance means it can communicate with third-party energy management systems, and the MID-approved energy meter provides billing-grade accuracy for tracking exactly what you are spending. The free 4G connectivity — with no subscription required — ensures the charger stays online even if your home Wi-Fi is unreliable, which is a common pain point flagged by owners of other chargers topcharger.co.uk. However, the Zaptec app is described as functional but relatively basic compared to rivals like Ohme.

Solar Integration

Both chargers offer solar diversion, but they approach it differently. The EO Mini Pro 3 includes a CT clamp as standard — no extra hardware to buy. Clip it onto your meter tails and the charger will divert surplus solar generation to your car rather than exporting it to the grid. It is a practical, cost-effective solution, though it is worth noting that it is not as sophisticated as the myenergi Zappi's dedicated eco modes localev.uk.

The Zaptec Go 2 takes a more technically ambitious approach: it can auto-switch between single-phase and three-phase charging to optimise solar integration. If you have a three-phase supply and a decent solar array, this flexibility allows the charger to ramp power up and down more granularly to match your generation. On a standard single-phase supply, however, this advantage largely disappears.

For most UK homeowners with a typical 3-4kW solar array on single-phase power, the EO's included CT clamp is the more practical, ready-to-go solution.

Build Quality and Design

Both chargers are impressively compact by home charger standards. The original Zaptec Go was already lauded for being 80% smaller than typical 7.4kW chargers zaptec.com, and the Go 2 continues that Scandinavian design ethos at 240 × 180 × 106mm and 3.2 kg. Zaptec backs it with a five-year warranty — comfortably above the industry average and a strong signal of confidence in the hardware's longevity.

The EO Mini Pro 3 goes even smaller: 215 × 140 × 100mm and just 2.5 kg. It genuinely is about the size of an A5 notebook. If you have a tight installation space — a narrow pillar, a shared parking area, or simply want the charger to be as unobtrusive as possible — the EO is hard to beat. The trade-off is a three-year warranty, which is standard but notably shorter than the Zaptec's five years.

Both carry an IP54 weatherproof rating, which is adequate for typical UK conditions — rain, frost, and the occasional horizontal drizzle.

Price and Value

At just £8 apart on unit price, this is essentially a dead heat on cost. The real value question is what you get for your money. The Zaptec Go 2 gives you V2G readiness, a MID-approved meter, free 4G, and a five-year warranty. The EO Mini Pro 3 gives you the smallest form factor available, an included CT clamp for solar, Ethernet connectivity, and British Gas cashback potential.

Neither charger is cheap for what it delivers at the basic level — both sit at the higher end of the 7kW charger market. But both justify their price through genuinely useful extras rather than marketing fluff.

Who Should Buy Which?

Buy the Zaptec Go 2 if:

• You want to future-proof for V2G technology and the ability to sell energy back to the grid
• You have (or plan to install) a three-phase power supply and want 22kW charging
• You prefer an untethered socket for a cleaner look or flexibility across multiple EVs
• Reliable connectivity matters and your Wi-Fi does not reach your driveway — free 4G solves this
• You value a longer warranty period (5 years vs 3)

Buy the EO Mini Pro 3 if:

• Installation space is genuinely tight and you need the smallest possible charger
• You have solar panels and want solar diversion included out of the box with no extra cost
• You are a British Gas/Hive customer and can benefit from the 25% Power+ cashback
• You prefer a tethered charger with a cable always ready to plug in
• You want Ethernet connectivity for the most reliable possible smart charging connection

Our recommendation: For the typical UK homeowner on a single-phase supply without solar panels, the EO Mini Pro 3 edges it — its smart tariff presets, tethered convenience, and tiny footprint make it the more immediately practical charger. But the Zaptec Go 2 is the smarter long-term investment. V2G is coming, the five-year warranty provides genuine peace of mind, and the free 4G connectivity eliminates one of the most common frustrations with smart chargers. If you are the sort of person who buys technology for where the market is heading rather than where it is today, the Zaptec deserves serious consideration.

Read our full Zaptec Go 2 review or EO Mini Pro 3 review.

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