Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, all our products are designed and bar the battery cell most are manufactured in the UK, ensuring high quality and compliance with local standards.

Yes, we invented it from 50kW DC Rapid Level 3 charging

Yes, from 50kW marine chargers for marinas to MW systems for ship charging, we can offer a complete suite of Marine Solutions including modular marinised batteries. 

Yes, we offer battery backed charging for all car parks even those off grid and with constrained grid supplies. We offer a range that can be integrated with onsite renewables. 

We are one of the few UK companies that manufacture and assemble battery systems (BESS) here in the UK and do not just act as a reseller of asian derived product. 

Predominately Lithium Ferro Phosphate and Lithium Titanate are used in our systems depending on the 'C' rate requirements. 

We use patented technology to enable the charging and discharging of batteries and the systems demands simultaneously.

We offer warranties up to 20 years, with a cell failure rate of just 3.4 cells per million.

Most sites are limited by their grid connection capacity. If you've got a 500kVA connection and you're already using 400kVA for your building, you've only got 100kVA left for EV chargers. A single 50kW DC fast charger can draw 50kVA when charging. Add multiple chargers and you quickly exceed your available capacity. Upgrading your grid connection can cost £100,000+ and take 18-24 months. ZPN's battery-backed charging solves this by multiplying your available capacity without needing a grid upgrade.

A grid-constrained site is any location where your electricity supply (grid connection) can't provide enough power for all your needs, including EV charging. This is common at car dealerships, fleet depots, retail parks, and older industrial buildings where the grid infrastructure was installed before EVs existed. Grid constraints mean you either can't install chargers at all, or you can only install fewer chargers than you need.

Grid upgrades typically cost £50,000-£250,000+ depending on your location and how much additional capacity you need. Beyond the capital cost, you'll face 12-24 months of delays waiting for your Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to plan and execute the work. During this time, you can't charge vehicles, you're losing potential revenue, and your competitors may already be offering charging.

Currently in the UK, grid upgrades take 12-24 months on average, sometimes longer in rural areas or where significant infrastructure work is needed. This includes application time, DNO assessment, design, approval, and physical installation. ZPN's battery-backed systems can be installed in 12-16 weeks, meaning you're operational 6-18 months sooner.

Yes. ZPN's battery-backed DC fast chargers store energy during off-peak times when your building isn't using much power, then release it when vehicles need charging. This means you can install significantly more chargers than your grid connection would normally allow. Our customers typically install 2x the number of chargers compared to grid-tied solutions.

Grid-tied chargers will either trip your circuit breakers (causing power cuts across your site), or they'll throttle charging speed to stay within your connection limits. This means your advertised "50kW rapid charger" might only deliver 20-30kW when multiple vehicles are charging, leading to unhappy customers, longer wait times, and lost revenue. ZPN's ring topology prevents this problem.

Ring topology is ZPN's patented battery architecture that allows simultaneous charging and discharging. Unlike traditional battery systems that can only charge OR discharge at any given moment, our ring topology can do both at the same time. This means batteries can charge from your grid connection while simultaneously delivering power to vehicles, maintaining consistent performance even during peak demand.

Traditional battery-backed chargers lose 20-30% of their energy through AC-to-DC-to-AC-to-DC conversions, and they can't charge and discharge simultaneously. This means when someone plugs in to charge, the battery might be empty because it couldn't charge up while the previous vehicle was connected. Ring topology eliminates conversion losses and ensures batteries are always ready, delivering 99% of advertised charge rate, 99% of the time.

It means our chargers deliver their full advertised power (e.g., 150kW) in 99% of charging sessions, maintaining 99% of that power throughout the session. Independent Monte Carlo simulations show standard grid-tied chargers only achieve full power 68% of the time. For your customers, this means faster charging, shorter wait times, and a better experience. For you, it means higher utilisation and more revenue per charger.

Most DC fast chargers are grid-tied, meaning they're limited by your site's available power at any moment. When multiple chargers are in use, or when your building is drawing peak power, these chargers slow down or queue vehicles. Our battery backing means your chargers maintain full speed regardless of what else is happening on site. The difference is £35k for a reliable ZPN charger vs £20k for a charger that disappoints customers 32% of the time.

Yes. ZPN's ring topology is patented technology, meaning no other manufacturer can replicate this architecture. This gives our customers a genuine competitive advantage - you're not just buying "another DC fast charger," you're buying the only charger on the market that can maintain 99%/99% performance on grid-constrained sites.

Standard grid-tied chargers take AC power from the grid, convert it to DC to charge a battery (if they have one), convert it back to AC, then convert it again to DC to put into your vehicle. Each conversion loses 5-10% of energy. Ring topology keeps everything in DC where possible, eliminating most conversion losses. This means you pay for less electricity to charge the same number of vehicles, reducing your operating costs by up to 25%.

Battery-backed EV charging uses large battery energy storage systems to supplement your grid connection. The batteries charge slowly when your site isn't drawing much power (typically overnight), then discharge rapidly when vehicles need charging. This "buffers" your grid connection, allowing you to install more chargers and deliver faster charging than your grid connection alone could support.

Our system monitors your grid connection and building load in real-time. When you have spare capacity, batteries charge automatically. When a vehicle connects, the system delivers power from both the grid and batteries simultaneously, providing full rapid charging speed without overloading your connection. The intelligent management system ensures you never trip breakers or exceed your contracted capacity.

Battery sizing depends on your specific use case. For a typical car dealership with 4-6 chargers, we'd recommend 250-350kWh of battery storage. For a fleet depot with 10+ chargers operating simultaneously, you might need 500kWh-1MW+. We conduct a site survey and energy demand analysis to right-size your system, ensuring you have enough capacity without over-investing in batteries you don't need.

Our battery systems are rated for 10+ years or 5,000+ charge cycles, whichever comes first. Most customers will see 10-15 years of service life. When batteries do eventually degrade, the modular design means you can replace individual battery modules rather than the entire system, keeping long-term costs down. However for additional cost you can have a 20 year warranty and we are the only company to offer this.

Our batteries can charge from any source: grid, solar, wind, or a combination. Most customers use a mix - grid overnight when electricity is cheapest, solar during the day when panels are generating, and grid top-up during peak vehicle charging times if needed. This flexibility maximises your renewable energy use and minimises operating costs.

Our system is designed so batteries never fully deplete. The intelligent management system always reserves enough capacity to serve at least one full vehicle charge cycle. If batteries do get low (e.g., unexpectedly high demand), the system automatically throttles charging speed slightly and diverts all available grid power to battery recharging. You maintain charging service, just at slightly reduced speed until batteries recover.

A complete system varies based on your needs:

- Single HUBZ charger with battery: £45,000-60,000

- 4-charger system with batteries: £200,000-300,000

- 10-charger system with batteries and solar: £500,000-750,000

This is typically 30-40% less than a grid upgrade plus standard chargers, and you're operational 12-18 months sooner, meaning you start generating revenue immediately rather than waiting.

Our chargers cost more upfront (£35-40k vs £20k for basic grid-tied units), but the total cost of ownership is significantly lower when you factor in:

- No grid upgrade costs (saving £50-250k+)

- Faster installation (12-16 weeks vs 18-30 months)

- Higher reliability (99% vs 68% full-speed charging)

- Lower energy costs (reduced conversion losses)

- More chargers per site (2x capacity)

- Higher customer satisfaction and repeat business

Most customers see payback in 3-5 years from charging revenue alone.

Payback depends on your utilisation and pricing model:

- **Public charging:** 3-5 years (typical 15% utilisation, £0.50-0.70/kWh pricing)

- **Fleet depot:** 2-4 years (high utilisation, avoiding downtime costs)

- **Car dealership:** 2-3 years (handover charging, avoiding delivery delays)

- **Retail/hospitality:** 4-6 years (customer attraction, dwell time monetisation)

We provide detailed ROI modelling during the consultation process based on your specific use case.

Yes. Current UK grants include:

- **EV Infrastructure Grant for Staff and Fleets:** Up to £15,000 per socket (75% of cost)

- **Local Authority grants:** Varies by region

- **Workplace Charging Scheme:** Some eligibility remains

- **Net Zero Innovation Portfolio:** For innovative deployments

We help customers identify and apply for relevant grants. Grant availability changes regularly, so we maintain an up-to-date database of current schemes. (subject to change and availability)

Yes. We work with specialist green finance providers who understand EV infrastructure. Typical terms:

- 5-7 year repayment periods

- Interest rates from 4-8% depending on credit profile

- Asset finance or operating lease structures available

- Revenue from charging can cover monthly payments

Many customers use financing to preserve capital and match payments to revenue generation.

Typical operating costs:

- **Electricity:** Variable depending on tariff and usage (typically £3,000-15,000/year per charger)

- **Connectivity/network:** £500-1,000/year per charger for OCPP backend

- **Maintenance:** £1,500-3,000/year per charger (preventative maintenance, software updates)

- **Insurance:** Typically covered under existing site insurance

Total operating cost: approximately 15-20% of charging revenue.

The important note here is that whatever connection you have our systems guarantee the cheapest electricity always. 

Typical installation timelines:

- Single charger with battery: 6-8 weeks from order

- 4-charger system:12-14 weeks from order

- Large multi-charger system with solar 16-20 weeks from order

- ZPN Drop can be supplied and installed within 12 weeks due to have no groundwork requirements. 

Usually not. Most EV charging installations are permitted development, meaning no planning permission required. Exceptions include:

- Listed buildings

- Conservation areas

- Sites with restrictive covenants

- Very large installations (typically 10+ chargers)

- Containerised solutions such as drop are classed as temporary. 

We minimise disruption by:

- Working outside business hours where needed

- Staging installation to maintain access

- Pre-fabricating as much as possible off-site

- Completing groundworks in phases

- Maintaining electrical service throughout (no power cuts)

For most installations, you'll have minor disruption for 1-2 days during final connections, but normal business operations continue throughout.

All ZPN equipment is designed and manufactured in the UK at our Coventry facility. This means:

- Shorter lead times (no shipping from Asia)

- British engineering standards and quality control

- Support and servicing from local engineers

- No supply chain vulnerabilities from international logistics

- Non-Chinese networking for cyber security

- All critical software is British

You can visit our factory to see equipment being manufactured before you order.

Our chargers support all current standards:

- CCS (Combined Charging System):** CCS1 and CCS2

- CHAdeMO:** Available on request

- OCPP 2.0.1:** For backend integration

- ISO 15118 (Plug & Charge): Coming soon

This means your chargers will work with all EVs currently on UK roads, plus future models as they're released.

Yes we have already successfully integrated with Tritium Chargers. We can convert any charger. 

We offer:

- **HUBZ/Core:** 50kW, 150kW, 350kW configurations (single or twin-head)

- Lite: 150kW with Tritium hardware

- Drop (containerised): 120kW to multi-megawatt configurations

- Custom: Bespoke configurations for specific use cases

Power output is matched to your use case during the design phase.

Yes. Our modular design means you can:

- Add more chargers to existing battery systems

- Add more batteries to existing charger systems

- Add solar panels later if not installed initially

- Upgrade charger power output (e.g., 50kW to 150kW)

- Relocate Drop containerised systems to new sites if needed

We design systems with future expansion in mind, pre-installing infrastructure where cost-effective.

- HUBZ:Our flagship product with recoiling cables (theft-proof, disability-friendly), twin-head available, fully integrated battery backing

- Core: Same physical unit as HUBZ but with fixed cables (lower cost, still excellent reliability)

- Lite:Simple hardware with ZPN battery integration (cost-effective option for budget-conscious customers)

All three deliver 99%/99% performance when paired with our battery systems.

Our dynamic power management system:

1. Monitors all connected vehicles and their charging state

2. Allocates power based on each vehicle's current draw and battery state

3. Draws from grid and batteries simultaneously to maintain full speed

4. Automatically rebalances if vehicles finish charging or new vehicles connect

5. Ensures no vehicle experiences throttling unless absolutely necessary

Drivers see consistent, predictable charging speeds, not the slow-downs common with grid-tied systems.

Yes, in most cases. Our systems integrate with:

- Electrical systems: Any UK standard 3-phase supply with worldwide options

- Building management: Via OCPP or API integration

- Payment systems: Most UK payment providers HUBZ use Payter

- Access control: RFID, app-based, or open access

- Solar/batteries: Existing systems can be integrated

We conduct compatibility assessment during site survey.

We target 99%+ uptime across our installed base. Each system includes:

- Remote monitoring:24/7 system health monitoring

- Predictive maintenance: We identify and fix issues before they cause downtime

- Rapid response: 4-hour response time for critical issues, 24-hour for non-critical

- Spare parts:Common components held in UK stock

- Redundancy: Modular design means one faulty component doesn't take entire system offline

1. System alerts us: Most issues detected remotely before customers notice

2. We diagnose: Remote diagnostics identify the problem and whether on-site visit needed

3. We dispatch: Engineer scheduled (4-hour response for critical, 24-hour for non-critical)

4. We fix: Modular components can be swapped in minutes

5. We test: System fully tested and monitored for 24 hours post-repair

Most issues resolved within 24 hours of detection.

Yes. Every installation includes:

- Operational training: How to use the system, start/stop charging, access controls

- Basic troubleshooting: How to diagnose common issues

- Monitoring dashboard: How to track usage, revenue, energy consumption

- Customer service: How to support your customers when they have questions

Training can be on-site or remote, and we provide refresher training when you hire new staff.

Standard warranty:

- Chargers: 5 years parts and labour

- Batteries: 10 years or 5,000 cycles (whichever first)

- Installation: 2 years workmanship guarantee

- Remote monitoring: Lifetime (whilst system operational)

Extended warranties available up to 10 years for chargers and 20 years for batteries.

DYes. Our UK-based support team operates 24/7 for critical issues (system down, safety concern). Non-critical support available 8am-6pm weekdays, with emergency escalation available outside hours. Average response time: under 4 hours for critical issues.

British manufacturing means:

- Security: Non-Chinese networking eliminates cyber security risks

- Quality: UK engineering standards and quality control

- Support: Local engineers who can be on-site quickly

- Supply chain: No vulnerabilities from international shipping

- Warranty: Enforceable under UK law with a company that will still exist in 10 years

- Jobs: Supporting UK manufacturing and engineering

Many customers, particularly in sensitive sectors (government, defence, critical infrastructure), require non-Chinese networking for security compliance.

It means all the networking hardware, software, and communications protocols in our systems are manufactured and designed outside of China. This eliminates potential cyber security vulnerabilities or backdoors that could compromise your systems or data. For customers handling sensitive data or operating critical infrastructure, this is essential.

Absolutely. We encourage customers to visit our Coventry facility to see:

- Equipment being manufactured

- Quality control processes

- Test rigs demonstrating performance

- Engineering team who'll design your system

- Customer service team who'll support you

Factory visits typically last 2-3 hours and can be booked via our website or by calling our sales team.

Yes. We hold:

- ISO 9001 (Quality Management)

- ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)

- ISO 45001 (Health & Safety)

Plus relevant electrical and product certifications (CE, UKCA, etc.).

How does this work for car dealerships?

Car dealerships typically face:

- Limited grid connections (old buildings not designed for EVs)

- Need for handover charging (customers expect full charge when collecting)

- Multiple vehicles needing simultaneous charging (pre-delivery inspection)

- Limited space for infrastructure

Our solution:

- 4-6 HUBZ chargers with 250-350kWh battery storage

- Charges 4-6 cars simultaneously to 80% in 20-30 minutes

- No grid upgrade needed

- Solar canopy option for free energy and covered parking

- Typical cost: £200-300k, payback 2-3 years

Fleet operators typically face:

- Depot charging for returning vehicles overnight

- Need for rapid turnaround (vehicles back in service quickly)

- Predictable charging patterns (vehicles return at similar times)

- High grid demand during shift changes

Our solution:

- Multiple HUBZ chargers with large battery arrays (500kWh-2MW)

- Batteries charge slowly overnight when vehicles aren't present

- Rapid charging when vehicles return (8+ vehicles simultaneously)

- Dynamic power management ensures fair allocation

- Typical cost: £500k-£1.5m, payback 2-4 years

CPOs typically face:

- Site selection limited by grid availability

- Revenue dependent on high utilisation

- Customer expectations for reliable fast charging

- Competition from better-located sites

Our solution:

- Can install on sites competitors can't (grid-constrained locations)

- 99%/99% performance means happy customers who return

- 2x chargers per site vs competitors (higher revenue)

- Lower operating costs (energy efficiency)

- Typical cost: £300-500k per site, payback 3-5 years

Logistics sites typically face:

- Large facilities with high baseline electricity demand

- Limited spare grid capacity

- 24/7 operations (can't afford downtime)

- Mix of vehicle types (vans, trucks, handling equipment)

Our solution:

- Large solar arrays on warehouse roofs (you've got the space)

- Multi-megawatt battery storage

- Multiple HUBZ chargers plus handling equipment charging

- Peak shaving reduces overall electricity costs

- Typical cost: £1-3m, payback 3-5 years

Key differences:

- Ring topology: Patented technology they can't replicate

- 99%/99% performance: vs 68% for grid-tied competitors

- British manufacturing: Non-Chinese networking, local support

- Integrated solutions: We design complete systems (solar + battery + charging + grid management)

- Containerised options: Drop can be relocated if site doesn't perform

Tritium, ABB, and Kempower make excellent chargers, but they don't solve grid constraints - they assume you've already got enough power.

Consider ZPN if:

- Grid upgrade quote is >£50k

- Timeline is >12 months

- You want to start generating revenue immediately

- You want flexibility to scale or relocate

- You want to integrate solar/renewables

- You want 2x the chargers vs grid capacity

Consider grid upgrade if:

- Cost is <£20k

- Timeline is <6 months

- You have no space for batteries

- You want simplest possible solution

- You're certain capacity needs won't increase

Most customers find ZPN offers better ROI and flexibility.

Yes. Many customers install:

- ZPN battery-backed chargers for primary fast charging

- Standard AC chargers for overnight/slow charging

- Mix provides flexibility and maximises grid utilisation

We can design hybrid systems that optimise cost vs performance.