Why We Switched from PodPoint to Hypervolt Pro 3 — And What We Wish We'd Known Sooner

When we moved into our new build in March 2025, a PodPoint 3 was already installed on the garage wall. It seemed like a bonus — one less thing to sort out. For the first few months, it worked fine. But over time, the problems started, and they never really went away. Here's the full story of why we ended up replacing it with a Hypervolt Pro 3, what the process involved, and how it's going so far.

The PodPoint Experience

Let's start with what went wrong, because it's worth understanding the whole picture.

The main issue was connectivity. The PodPoint app would regularly become unresponsive, displaying "unable to connect" messages. When this happened — and it happened often — the only fix was walking out to the consumer unit and turning the charger off and back on again. Not exactly the seamless smart charging experience you'd hope for.

We contacted PodPoint support several times. They checked their logs and told us the charger had good WiFi coverage. And it should have done — the charger is literally on the other side of the wall from our router. But after more investigation, they acknowledged that while the WiFi signal was strong, the unit kept losing its connection to PodPoint's servers. So the problem wasn't our network — it was the charger's ability to maintain a stable connection to their cloud.

PodPoint eventually sent an engineer out who replaced the PCB inside the unit. They told us it was fixed. Within a week, we were having the exact same issues.

The real-world impact of this was failed overnight charges. We'd plug the car in, schedule a charge for the cheap rate window, and wake up in the morning to find it hadn't charged at all. When you're relying on overnight charging to keep costs down, that's not a minor inconvenience — it's a genuine problem.

The Compatibility Issue

On top of the connectivity problems, there was a bigger strategic issue. The PodPoint isn't compatible with Intelligent Octopus Go.

Now, our Peugeots aren't IOG-compatible either — the car itself can't talk directly to Octopus. But with a compatible charger, that doesn't matter. The charger handles the smart scheduling instead, working with Octopus to charge during the cheapest windows automatically. With the PodPoint, we couldn't do any of that. We were stuck manually scheduling charges and hoping the unit would actually stay connected long enough to complete them.

When we weighed up the connectivity issues and the lack of IOG compatibility together, it became clear the PodPoint had to go.

Choosing the Hypervolt Pro 3

We looked at several alternatives. Our main requirements were straightforward: it needed to be reliable, compatible with Intelligent Octopus Go, and able to integrate with Home Assistant so we could monitor and control charging alongside our solar and Powerwall setup.

We also wanted a charger that could be hardwired to our router via ethernet rather than relying on WiFi. After everything we'd been through with the PodPoint's connectivity issues, taking WiFi out of the equation entirely felt like the right move.

We settled on the Hypervolt Pro 3 for several reasons. It ticked every box on our requirements list — IOG compatible, Home Assistant integration, ethernet capable — but it also looked the part. With its white cover, it sits next to the Powerwall on the wall and blends in nicely. It's a tethered unit too, so the cable is permanently attached rather than needing a separate Type 2 cable. One less thing to deal with.

The Installation

We had the Hypervolt Pro 3 installed on Thursday 12th March 2026 by a local installer — so at the time of writing, it's only been a few days. The installation was straightforward. The existing cabling from the PodPoint was reused, and the ethernet cable was run from the router through the wall into the back of the Hypervolt. The whole job was done in a few hours.

First Impressions

It's early days, but so far the difference is noticeable. The Hypervolt app was dead easy to setup, and connected first time and has stayed connected — no dropouts, no "unable to connect" messages, no trips to the consumer unit. The ethernet connection clearly makes a difference, and the app itself is clean and responsive.

We've already set it up with Intelligent Octopus Go, and the first few overnight charges have completed without any issues. That alone is a relief after months of unreliable PodPoint sessions. We've also connected it to Home Assistant, where it's showing up with full monitoring and control. Being able to see our charging alongside solar generation, Powerwall state, and energy tariff data in one place is exactly what we wanted.

In terms of looks, we're genuinely pleased with how it sits on the wall. The white cover matches the Powerwall, and the tethered cable keeps things tidy. It feels like a proper upgrade, not just a replacement.

What We'd Tell You

If you're in a new build with a pre-installed PodPoint — or any charger for that matter — and you're finding it unreliable, don't assume you have to live with it. We spent weeks going back and forth with PodPoint support, had a PCB replacement that didn't fix anything, and put up with failed charges before we finally made the switch. We should have done it sooner.

Here's what we'd recommend thinking about if you're choosing a home EV charger:

Check tariff compatibility first. If you're on Intelligent Octopus Go (or planning to be), make sure your charger is on the compatibility list. This is arguably the most important factor for keeping charging costs down. If neither your car nor your charger is compatible, you're leaving money on the table.

Consider hardwired ethernet. WiFi can be flaky, especially for devices in garages or outside walls. If you can run an ethernet cable, do it. It removes an entire category of potential problems - but obviously does limit your choice in terms of charger.

Think about integration. If you're running Home Assistant (or planning to), check whether the charger has a proper integration. Being able to see and control your charging alongside your energy data is genuinely useful, not just a nice-to-have.

Don't underestimate aesthetics. Your charger is going to be on your wall for years. If you care about how your garage or driveway looks, factor that in. The Hypervolt's design was part of our decision, and we're glad it was.

What's Next

We'll be writing a proper long-term review of the Hypervolt Pro 3 once we've had it for a few months and have real data to share — charging costs, reliability, and how it performs through different seasons. We're also planning a post on running two EVs on solar and cheap overnight rates, which ties directly into how we're using the Hypervolt with our Powerwall and Octopus tariff.

For now, we're just enjoying plugging the car in at night and knowing it'll actually be charged in the morning. It sounds like a low bar, but after the PodPoint experience, it's genuinely appreciated.

If you're considering a Hypervolt or thinking about replacing your current charger, feel free to get in touch — we're happy to share more about our experience.