Electric vehicle (EV) charger manufacturer Ohme has been selected to be the official EV charger partner for Currys, the UK’s largest electrical retailer.
Ohme chargers will soon be available for direct-to-consumer purchases at Currys stores and online. The chargers will be rolled out gradually, beginning with 50 of the retailer’s flagship stores.
All Ohme chargers are compatible with smart charging technology, which allows for connection to the national grid in real time and adjusts charging times to help drivers charge their cars at times of low energy prices.
“With EV sales in the UK up more than 10% this year, this new partnership between Currys and Ohme chargers was a natural step to offer to our customers,” said Zoe Lucid, senior buyer at Currys. “Ohme’s award-winning chargers and reputation for excellent customer service meant it was the obvious choice for Currys’ customers helping them to make more sustainable choices combined with cutting-edge technology.”
Ohme is already a preferred charger manufacturer for several automotive manufactuers; the firm is the official charger provider for the Volkswagen Group and Volvo Cars in the UK and Ireland, as well as Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai in the UK.
“As the UK’s largest electrical retailer, we saw a collaboration with Currys as a big win for Ohme,” said David Watson, CEO of Ohme. “It’s an exciting new route to the retail market that will bring EV chargers to a new audience, helping them to access smarter, greener and cheaper EV charging in the future and ensuring that no driver is left behind in the transition to e-mobility.”
Encouraging home EV charging
Lack of charger availability is a major pain point for would-be EV drivers, and one of the largest hurdles the EV industry needs to clear to accelerate the EV rollout. According to EV charger mapping company Zapmap, EV drivers without access to home charging spend over £1,000 more each year on charging than those who are able to charge from home.
The UK government has been working to increase home EV charger installations to encourage wider EV charging uptake through funding programmes such as the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant. This grant offers renters, landlords, and flat owners up to £350 or 75% off the installation cost of a home EV charger. However, this grant is set to wind down in March 2025, with no replacement scheme announced.
It is unclear if those purchasing Ohme EV chargers directly from Currys will be eligible for such grants, but offering more direct-to-consumer sales options for EV chargers could be the fresh take to increase EV uptake that the industry needs.
