Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating vs Cord EV
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating vs Cord EV: the differences
| Compare |  British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Cord EV ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Charger price | £999 | £479 to £559Lower |
| Installation price | £999 | £979Lower |
| Tethered cable | No | YesHas it |
| Tariff integration | British Gas, British Gas EV Power | Octopus Intelligent Go, OVO Charge Anytime |
| Warranty | 3 years | 5 yearsHigher |
| Solar divert | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Installation included (Yes), Charging power (kW) (7.4), Mobile app (Yes), Markets (GB).
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Key differences
- Cord EV scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.6.
- Charger price is lower at Cord EV: £479 to £559 vs £999.
- Installation price is lower at Cord EV: £979 vs £999.
- Tethered cable: only Cord EV.
- Warranty is higher at Cord EV: 5 years vs 3 years.
- Support channels: only British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Cord EV offers Email.
- Founded is lower at British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating: 2013 vs 2023.
- Tariff integration: only British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating offers British Gas, British Gas EV Power.
- Tariff integration: only Cord EV offers Octopus Intelligent Go, OVO Charge Anytime.
Our verdict on each
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
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.
Cord EV
Cord EV fits households in GB with a drive, offering a tethered home charger with installation included at a mid-field charger price of £479 to £559. A single supplier handles the hardware and the fit, so there is a single place to turn for the whole setup.
Score breakdown
| Area | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Cord EV |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.2Charging at £999 with installation at £999 and fitting included keeps the entry cost to a single hardware purchase. | 9.2HigherInstallation at £979, included in the package, with an installation price rank of 3 of 6. |
| Offer | 8.8Installation is included, a mobile app handles control, and British Gas and British Gas EV Power tie charging to an existing British Gas account. | 9.2HigherTethered, solar divert, a mobile app and tariff integration with Octopus Intelligent Go and OVO Charge Anytime, plus a warranty of 5 years. |
| Trust | 9.0HigherCentrica Hive Limited has traded since 2013, and chat, phone and help centre give buyers a clear route to help. | 8.0The business is Cord Power Technologies Ltd, headquartered in GB and founded in 2023, so the record is short. |
Licences and countries
| Country | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Cord EV |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
Available in 1 country for both.
How they place
| Ranking | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Cord EV |
|---|---|---|
| EV tariffs and home chargers | 18 of 27 | 12 of 27 |
By the numbers
| Fact | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Cord EV |
|---|---|---|
| Charger price | £999 | £479 to £559 |
| Installation price | £999 | £979 |
| Charging power (kW) | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Warranty | 3 years | 5 years |
Where these facts come from
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
- hivehome.com: 13 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Cord EV
- cord-ev.com: 14 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Cord EV |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Centrica Hive Limited | Cord Power Technologies Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2013Lower | 2023 |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Cord EV | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charging power (kW) | 7.4lowest quarter | 7.4lowest quarter | 22 |
| Warranty | 3 yearsat the median | 5 yearsabove the median | 3 years |
Median across 15 listed providers.
Pros and cons
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
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.
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.
Cord EV
Pros
- Installation is included, so the charger and its fit are arranged as a single package rather than as separate purchases.
- The charger is tethered, can divert solar to the car and comes with a mobile app, which covers the usual home charging setup.
- Tariff integration with Octopus Intelligent Go and OVO Charge Anytime lets charging follow the cheap windows on those tariffs.
Cons
- Output of 7.4 kW places Cord EV at 12 across 18 brands compared, so it is built for overnight charging rather than quick turnarounds.
- The charger is sold in GB only, so buyers outside the UK are not covered.
- The listed installation price of £979 is another outlay to plan for alongside the charger price of £479 to £559.
Who each suits
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
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.
Cord EV
Who it suits
- Households in GB with an off-street drive who charge overnight and want the install handled in the same package.
- Homes with solar generation that want charging diverted from their own power.
- Drivers on Octopus Intelligent Go or OVO Charge Anytime who want charging to follow cheap rate windows.
Who should look elsewhere
- DRBO Greenenergy buyers who shop on the hardware price alone, since its charger is listed at €499.
- Endesa buyers who want a different price point, with a charger listed at €1,099.
- EVSE - Enphase buyers weighing installation cost, whose listed installation price is $1,000.
Country by country
| Country | British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating | Cord EV |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
British Gas - Hive - Smart Home & Heating
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.
Cord EV
How much does the Cord EV home charger cost?+
The listing shows £479 to £559 for the Cord EV home charger, and £979 for installation. Installation is included in the package, so budget the unit and the fit together, since both are quoted as separate lines on the listing.
Does the Cord EV charger come with installation?+
Installation is included with the charger, and the listed installation price is £979. Cord EV is headquartered in the United Kingdom and the charger is sold in the United Kingdom, so the fit is arranged as part of the same purchase rather than a separate contract.