Zaptec Go 2 vs Indra Smart PRO

> V2G boundary: A “V2G-ready” label or ISO 15118 support does not by itself provide bidirectional power conversion, export approval or a live energy service. Confirm the compatible car, genuinely bidirectional hardware, certified complete system, installer, service and network approval before assigning value to the claim. Read the UK V2G explainer.

£243 and a bet on the grid

Two chargers with V2G somewhere in their marketing. Only one of them — the Zaptec Go 2 at £638 — is actually marketed as V2G-ready. The Indra Smart PRO at £395 trades on Indra's broader V2G research, but the unit itself pushes power in one direction only. That distinction matters, because the £243 between them is almost entirely explained by a technology most UK homes cannot use yet.

• Zaptec Go 2 — £638. Untethered, V2G-ready, MID-approved meter, subscription-free 4G, up to 22kW on three-phase. A charger dressed for a future grid.
• Indra Smart PRO — £395. Tethered with a 6-metre cable, surge protection and CT clamp included, smart-tariff scheduling, solar mode. A charger dressed for today's install bill.

What the Indra's box saves you

The Indra Smart PRO ships with a surge protection device and a CT clamp for solar diversion. Those are not trivial accessories. An SPD fitted by your electrician typically adds £100–£150 to the install; a CT clamp another £50–£100. Factor those in and the Indra's effective hardware cost drops to somewhere around £150–£250 — less than half the Zaptec's sticker price, before you even compare features.

The Zaptec Go 2 includes neither. It does include subscription-free 4G and a MID-approved energy meter — both genuinely useful if you need legally certified readings for workplace reimbursement or fleet billing. For a home buyer who just wants to charge overnight on Octopus Go or EDF GoElectric, those are nice-to-haves, not necessities.

V2G readiness: paying now, benefiting when?

The Zaptec Go 2 is marketed as V2G-ready because it publishes ISO 15118 communication support, but Zaptec says it cannot currently be registered as a UK V2G installation. That is a real, verifiable distinction. The problem is the ecosystem around it. V2G trials remain small-scale, regulatory frameworks are incomplete, and most energy suppliers have no consumer V2G tariff. The charger carries a five-year warranty. Whether V2G becomes a mainstream domestic reality within those five years is an open question — and an optimistic one.

If you believe the timeline, the Go 2 is the only AC route in. If you are sceptical, you are paying £243 over the Indra — and £149 over the Easee One — for a feature that sits dormant on your wall.

The Indra Smart PRO does not support V2G at all. Indra's own bidirectional work exists elsewhere in their product line, but this unit charges your car and that is the end of the conversation.

Three-phase and the untethered question

One scenario where the Zaptec earns its premium without relying on V2G: three-phase supply. The Go 2 auto-switches between single-phase at 7.4kW and three-phase at up to 22kW. The Indra is single-phase only, capped at 7.4kW. If your home has three-phase — and fewer than 5% of UK homes do — the Zaptec is one of a small handful of chargers that can use it. The Wallbox Pulsar Max and myenergi Zappi GLO are alternatives in that bracket.

The Zaptec is also untethered only — you supply your own Type 2 cable. Some buyers prefer that flexibility; others want a cable permanently attached and ready to plug in. The Indra comes tethered with 6 metres of cable, which is longer than the 5 metres on the Ohme Home Pro and adequate for most driveways.

Smart tariff handling

Neither charger leads the field on tariff automation. The Indra Smart PRO integrates with Octopus Intelligent Go, OVO Charge Anytime, Octopus Go, and EDF GoElectric — a decent spread. The Zaptec offers scheduled charging through its app but leaves tariff optimisation to you. On a fixed off-peak window like Go's 00:30–05:30, that is no hardship. On a half-hourly variable tariff like Octopus Agile, the Indra has the edge, though buyers who want proper Agile automation should look at the Ohme Home Pro instead.

The OZEV grant angle

Both chargers are OZEV-approved. Eligible renters and flat owners can claim the £500 grant. For the Indra at £395, the grant covers the unit outright and chips into the install costs too. For the Zaptec at £638, it brings the effective price down to £138. Either way, the grant narrows the gap — but the Indra remains cheaper after it.

The verdict

Buy the Zaptec Go 2 if:

• You have three-phase power and want up to 22kW
• You need a MID-approved meter for expense claims or fleet billing
• You are willing to pay now for V2G capability that may become useful within the warranty period

Buy the Indra Smart PRO if:

• You want the lowest total install cost — the included SPD and CT clamp save £150–£250 on top of the £243 hardware saving
• You have solar panels and want diversion without buying extras
• You charge on a single-phase supply and have no use for V2G today

For most single-phase households, the Indra Smart PRO is the more rational purchase. It costs less, it arrives with the accessories your electrician would otherwise charge you for, and it does the daily job — plug in, charge cheap, unplug — without asking you to subsidise a technology that has not yet proved itself at scale. The Zaptec Go 2 is a fascinating piece of hardware with a clear identity, but its best features are waiting for the rest of the country to catch up.