British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating review

Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026

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Our verdict

British Gas Hive suits households already on a British Gas supply who want a home charger ordered alongside their energy account, and it prices at £999 with installation included. The trade-off is 7.4 kW of output and an untethered cable, so drivers who need quicker top-ups should look wider.

Key facts

Best for
British Gas households who want the charger, the fitting and the app handled in one order.
Charger price
£999 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Installation price
£999 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Installation included
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Charging power (kW)
7.4 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Tethered cable
No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Tariff integration
British Gas, British Gas EV Power (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Mobile app
Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Warranty
3 years (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Markets
GB (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Legal entity
Centrica Hive Limited (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Headquarters
United Kingdom (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Founded
2013 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Support channels
Chat, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Official website
hivehome.com

Apps and profiles

Get the app
Google Play
Elsewhere
WikidataWikipediaXTrustpilotinstagram.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Installation is included with the unit, so a fitter does not have to be arranged separately, and the charger price of £999 is the figure most buyers start from.
  • Support covers chat, phone and help centre, giving a phone line and live chat alongside written help once the box is on the wall.
  • The charger works with British Gas and British Gas EV Power, so charging can follow the tariff the household already holds.
  • A 3 years warranty sits alongside a mobile app, so the unit stays covered and controllable after installation.

Cons

  • The unit is untethered, so there is no permanently attached cable and drivers bring or pick their own lead.
  • Output of 7.4 kW places the unit at 12 of 18 on our charger power table, so it suits overnight charging rather than quick turnarounds.
  • The £999 charger price sits above DRBO Greenenergy at €499, though the two are quoted in different currencies.
  • It is sold in GB only, so buyers elsewhere are weighing a different set of brands.
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating

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Scored 8.6 / 10 by TariffCue.

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Who it suits

  • Households already on a British Gas supply who want the charger ordered alongside the energy account.
  • Drivers who charge on the drive overnight and can live with 7.4 kW of output and an untethered cable.
  • Buyers who put aftercare first: 3 years of warranty and support across chat, phone and help centre.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Not for shoppers comparing sticker prices alone: DRBO Greenenergy lists its charger at €499 and Endesa at €1,099, so both belong next to the £999 here.
  • Not for anyone outside GB, and for drivers who need a cable fixed to the box. Where the fitting cost decides it, EVSE - Enphase at $1,000 is the figure to weigh against £999.

Plans and prices

A charging box is a hardware purchase rather than a tariff, so the figures here are the outlay at entry and there is no renewal to weigh later. The Hive charger is priced at £999, and installation is listed at £999. Both are quoted at the point of order rather than spread across monthly bills, which makes them straightforward to set beside the same two lines on other brands. Read the pair separately, because a cheaper unit can still end up the dearer total once a fitter is involved. The Hive entry puts both numbers up front, so the sensible starting point for anyone weighing a lower sticker price against a higher fitting cost is the unit line and the fitting line side by side.

How it compares on our data

We rank brands on the same three columns, and this one does not sit in the same place in each. On charger price, Hive is at 14 of 19 among the brands listed. Installation puts it at 5 of 6, and power at 12 of 18. The power column sits close to the middle of the field, which fits a home unit built for overnight charging. Read the three lines together rather than picking the flattering one: the installation number is the strongest of the three and the charger price the weakest, so a reader who cares most about what the fitter charges is on firmer ground than one shopping purely on the sticker.

Core features

Four things define the unit. Installation is included, so a fitter does not have to be found and booked separately. Output is 7.4 kW, a home rating that handles an overnight top-up on a driveway but is not aimed at filling a battery while someone waits. The charger is untethered, so no cable is permanently attached to the wall box and drivers choose the lead that suits the space. A mobile app is included, which is where schedules and settings are handled. The warranty runs 3 years. Together these make it a straightforward home charger rather than a specialist one, with the app and the warranty doing the most day to day work.

The company behind it

Hive is sold by Centrica Hive Limited, which is based in the United Kingdom and has been trading since 2013. Support runs on chat, phone and help centre, so there is a phone line and live chat as well as written help for anyone setting the unit up or faulting a charging session. Because the kit is sold under a named legal entity, the contract, the warranty and the support contact all point at the same company rather than a pass-through seller. Buyers comparing hardware from smaller suppliers can weigh that continuity against a unit already tied to a household energy account.

How British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating compares

Where British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating is available

Available
United Kingdom

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does the Hive EV charger cost, and what is the fitting on top?+

The charger is priced at £999 and the listing states installation at £999. Both are hardware figures quoted at the point of order, not subscription charges, so there is no renewal to weigh once the box is on the wall. Compare the two lines separately against any alternative, because a cheaper unit can carry a higher fitting cost.

Does the price cover installation?+

Installation is marked as included with the unit, so a fitter does not have to be arranged separately. The listing still gives an installation figure of £999, so it is worth checking which parts of the fitting that covers before ordering. The unit itself is £999.

Can I control charging from an app?+

A mobile app comes with the charger, and it is where charging schedules and settings are managed. The unit also works with British Gas and British Gas EV Power, so a household can line charging up with the tariff it already holds rather than setting a schedule by hand for every session.

Will it work with my British Gas tariff?+

Tariff integration covers British Gas and British Gas EV Power, so the unit is built to sit with a British Gas supply and its EV Power tariff. Households on another supplier can still buy the charger, but the tariff-aware features described here are the ones tied to those British Gas products, and GB is where the unit is sold.

How quickly does it charge, and is the cable fixed to the wall?+

Output is 7.4 kW, a home rating that suits overnight charging on a driveway more than a quick top-up in a car park. The unit is untethered, so no cable is permanently attached to the box and you can pick the length that suits the space. Both choices point the same way: a drive charger rather than a rapid unit.

What is the warranty, and how do I get help if a session fails?+

The warranty runs 3 years, and support covers chat, phone and help centre, so a problem can be raised by phone or live chat as well as through the written help centre. For a unit fixed to a private drive, having a phone line rather than a form alone makes setup questions and failed sessions quicker to sort out.

Where can I buy it, and which company is behind the brand?+

It is sold in the United Kingdom, with the legal entity named as Centrica Hive Limited and a home base in the United Kingdom. That name is the one on the contract, the warranty and the support contact, so it is the company to approach about the purchase or the installation if something goes wrong.

How does the price compare with other EV chargers?+

On the charger alone, DRBO Greenenergy is listed at €499 and Endesa at €1,099, both in currencies other than the £999 charged here, so the comparison needs a currency check. On the fitting, EVSE - Enphase lists installation at $1,000. The Hive entry gives both numbers together.

Sources

  • hivehome.com/discover-hive/about-us checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Founded

    “Since 2013, we've been empowering customers”

  • hivehome.com/discover-hive/power-plus checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Tariff integration

    “Sync any British Gas electricity tariff in the Hive app”

  • hivehome.com/shop/ev-charging checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Mobile app, Charger price, Headquarters, Installation included, Installation price, Legal entity, Markets, Charging power (kW), Tethered cable, Warranty

    “Smart app control”

  • hivehome.com/support checked September 30, 2026

    Backs: Support channels

    “Message us on WhatsApp”

Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: Solar divert.

British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating

British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating

British Gas households who want the charger, the fitting and the app handled in one order.

8.6/10See alternatives

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