Daily EV news · UK · 1 September 2026

A UK electrician from SOTA Electrical tested the NexBlue Point 2, a 7.4 kilowatt smart home EV charger, in a YouTube review and concluded it "ticks all the boxes." He highlighted the separate back plate that allows wiring to be completed before wall mounting, supplied fixings, multiple cable entry points, onboard connectivity, and support for Intelligent Octopus Go. The electrician said he would install the unit again.

Why it matters: Installer endorsements influence procurement decisions for residential charge point operators and housing developers evaluating new hardware suppliers. The review provides practical feedback on installation ease and feature set that may inform specification and tendering processes in the UK market.

Mercedes-Benz UK has appointed Pod Point as its sole home charging supplier, offering customers £250 off the Solo 3S charger (reducing the price from £999 to £749) or a subscription at £27 per month over three years with no upfront installation fee, saving over £300 total. The package includes access to the Pod Power by EDF tariff at 6.49p per kWh during a seven hour overnight window, delivering annual savings of £345 for an 85 kWh CLA or £382 for a 94 kWh GLC 400 4MATIC compared to standard rates. Pod Point was selected for its flexible payment routes, tariff savings and customer focused approach after working with Mercedes-Benz UK for several years.

Why it matters: The exclusive partnership locks Pod Point into a major OEM channel and sets a benchmark for bundled home charging propositions that combine hardware discounts, installation and energy tariffs. For competing CPOs and installers, it signals how automotive partnerships are shifting toward integrated offers that address total cost of ownership rather than hardware alone.

Renfrewshire Council's Infrastructure, Land and Environment Policy Board approved plans on 26 August for 436 new public charge points across the area, comprising 181 at 56 council car parks and 255 at 179 on street locations. The move forms part of a Glasgow City Region project spanning eight council areas, which will install at least 3,034 charge points under a 20 year contract valued at around £780 million and attract £45 million to £50 million in private investment. A private charge point operator will take over Renfrewshire's existing 75 council owned charge points, valued at £272,667, and manage all equipment while councils retain land ownership.

Why it matters: The regional procurement model demonstrates how multi authority frameworks can unlock significant private capital and deliver large scale rollout, offering CPOs a substantial long term concession with existing asset transfer and guaranteed site access. The 20 year contract structure and combined £780 million value signal the scale of opportunity in Scottish local authority partnerships for operators able to finance, deploy and maintain networks at this magnitude.