Hive EV Charger Review: Pros, Cons & Our Expert Verdict

Quick Hive EV Charger Review Summary:

• The Hive Mini Pro 3 is a short and sweet electric car charger that aesthetically hits the mark with its discreet, glossy, satin-like black design. And while mini in nature (and name), the Hive EV charger packs a feisty punch in home charging functionality, including sought-after features such as load management, EV tariff integration, and soon to be solar.
• All in all, we feel the Hive EV charger is a great electric car charger for those who want to maximise their EV charging savings, especially when you combine the British Gas EV Tariff and the exclusive Power+feature.

What is the Hive EV charger?

In short, the Hive EV charger, or its full name, the Hive EO Mini Pro 3, is a 7.2kW smart home electric car charger from British Gas.

Initially, the Hive charger was only available in an untethered format, but British Gas have recently opened up the design. Now, the Hive is available as a tethered EV charger, complete with a 5-meter cable. Ideal for those who favour the simple charging life, without having to constantly unplug and put away your charging cable.

On top of this, you’re looking at a 3-year warranty for the Hive; the average for any smart home EV charger in the UK market.

Price-wise? For the British Gas Hive EV charger, you’re looking at prices from around £1,100 with standard installation.

What are the pros of the Hive EO Mini Pro 3 EV charger?

1. Neat and discreet design

Approximately the size of an A5 notebook, the Hive EV charger ranks as one of the smallest home chargers on the market.

Putting it under the magnifying glass, and you’re looking at a titchy 21.5 x 14 x 10 cm for dimensions.

Don’t believe us? Compare the Hive to other EV home chargers on the market. Take the Andersen A3, for example, coming in at a much larger 43 (H) x 31 (W) x 14.8 cm (D).

All in all, the Hive EV charger is perfect if you have limited space on your driveway, or if you prefer subtle elegance to bigger, bolder flair.

2.  Easy, intuitive Hive app

Control is in your hands with the award-winning Hive App, favoured by over 1.9 million daily users. It’s easy to use, quick to load, and its clean, clear interface is one to be rewarded.

But what can you do on the Hive EV charger app?

• Schedule your EV charging whenever you want, and it will automatically charge
• Monitor your EV charging history, including spending and energy usage
• Start and stop charging sessions
• Witness real-time charging updates: stay in the know and get notified when your charging is finished and how long you have left.
• Connect to EV tariffs for cheaper, greener EV charging.

One special app feature to point out: create a hivemind, weaving all your favourite Hive products and managing them in one place—the Hive app. Think: Hive EV charging, smart heating, heat pumps, solar and smart home devices.

3. EV Tariff integration, including the British Gas EV Tariff

Full integration with all British Gas electricity tariffs, including the popular British Gas EV tariff.

Schedule your EV charging during off-peak times (12 am-5 am) and get access to cheaper, greener electricity prices as low as 7.9p with the British Gas EV tariff.

Don’t have a smart meter? Don’t worry. British Gas will install one for free.

4. Power+ – 9,000 miles for £185

Connect your Hive with any British Gas EV tariff, and save 25% off your electricity with the new, exclusive Power+ feature.

In fact, you could drive up to 9,000 miles for just £185.

No fuss. No faff. You’ll be credited the savings back on your energy bill.

5. Built-in PEN protection

Hive’s smart insides mean no earth rod is needed, as it comes with built-in PEN protection.

So you get a tidier, cheaper Hive installation.

A win-win for you.

6. Integrated load management

Locked and loaded, the Hive EV charger comes readily equipped with load management. This smart feature means your Mini Pro 3 will track and adjust its power outlet based on your property’s electrical demand to ensure safer charging, protecting your home, your car, and most importantly, you.

7. Automatic over-the-air software updates

Never again experience the stress of manual pesky updates or taking time out of your day to wait for an engineer to update the firmware manually.

With the Hive EV charger, its smart tech automatically updates your software, meaning you experience the latest intelligence without lifting a finger.

8. Dual connectivity options

A fast, seamless connection is guaranteed between the Hive app and the Hive EV charger, with dual options for 4G or Wi-Fi connectivity.

Please note: to avoid unreliable EV charging sessions, make sure your signal is strong enough to create a consistent connection between your Hive and the app.

What are the cons of the Hive EV charger?

1. No colour choices

With the Hive’s satin black aesthetic, there’s no eye-watering or searing of your neighbours’ eyes with garish, humungous or cheap-looking chargers.

But regrettably, the Hive only comes in one colour.

While minimalistic and sleek, we appreciate that some EV owners might want bolder, brighter colours that match their home or their electric car.

For this, we say, take a look at the Sync EV charger, with over nine interchangeable cover colours.

2. Lacks full compatibility with certain EV tariffs

Of course, the Hive has full compatibility with British Gas tariffs. That’s a given. But what about other EV tariffs on the market?

On a surface level, the answer is that the Hive can absolutely work with other UK EV tariffs.

But the Hive EV charger might not have full, direct and native EV tariff integration with them all. It may work in some capacities, but you not access fully automated, cheaper charging with certain EV tariffs as they were intended.

Take the Intelligent Octopus Go EV tariff, for instance. The Hive EV charger won’t have full automated charging. Unless your electric car’s API is compatible with Intelligent Octopus, that is.

So, when it comes to the question: Does the Hive work with Octopus Energy? The answer is technically yes, but to access the full features and the lower prices, make sure you check your electric car’s API to determine whether it’s fully compatible.

If you’re desperate for a home EV charger that’s wholly Intelligent Octopus compatible, go for the Ohme Home Pro EV charger.

3. No three-phase EV charging capabilities

The Hive EV charger is only available with a 7.2kW charging rate, not lower, or in this case, higher. One to note: but in no shape or form a dealbreaker.

In fact, many of the best home EV chargers on the market don’t offer three-phase EV charging capabilities. Why? Because the most common maximum charging rate is 7kW, due to how most UK homes only have single-phase electricity supplies.

But if your electric vehicle can charge with 11kW or 22kW charging speeds, your head might be turned elsewhere.

4. Free year of EV charging has come to an end.

All good things must come to an end. And it’s the same with Hive’s free year of EV charging. Sadly, the offer of 8,000 miles worth of free EV charging came to a close in October last year.

But all’s not lost: it’s been replaced with a new offer with Zap-Map. Get 100 miles of free public charging with a free £20 credit.

Verdict: Is the Hive EV charger any good?

Simply put: yes, the Hive EV charger is a great option for electric car owners, whether an EV charging novice or expert. And we’re not the only ones that agree: over 35,000 Hive drivers think so too.

The Hive’s beautiful build and smart, savvy functionality, including load balancing, EV tariff integration, and soon-to-be solar compatibility creates an all-round EV charger. Add in the Hive’s Power+ feature and the lucrative offer with Zap-Map, and cheaper, greener and convenient electric car charging is yours.

Ready for hassle-free EV charger installation?

Trust We Power Your Car for your EV charger and EV charger installation. As a nationwide company with DBS-checked, accredited and experienced EV charger installers, we can install wherever you are—all with first-class customer service.

Don’t believe us? Check out our Trustpilot reviews. Spoiler: We have over 2,000 reviews from our happy customers and a rating of 4.9 ‘Excellent’.

Here are our credentials, too:

• OZEV-approved
• SIP accredited
• HERS approved
• Trustmark approved
• NICEIC approved
• Safe Contractor approved
• ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 54001 accredited

So sit back and relax and let the EV charging experts handle the entire electric car charger installation process. Peace of mind guaranteed as we notify your DNO, handle grant application, help with EV charger choice, offer expert installation and more.

When you’re ready, get your free quote below or browse our market-leading range of electric car chargers, or contact us directly at 03333 44 96 99 for unbiased advice.

Struggling to choose a charger? Explore our comprehensive guide to the best home EV chargers in the UK to find the right charger for you.

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