We asked James Hilton, co-founder of Cord EV, to hear how the brand is progressing on its mission to make electric vehicle charging “positively easy.”
S. How have things been going with Cord EV since we met you last year? Have you made any significant developments/methods in the UK EV installation market?
It’s been a busy year. We have grown rapidly in both consumer and commercial channels, with UK revenues now exceeding £3.5 million. In the fasteners market, we have built a nationwide network of certified partners that meet our “Certified Rope” standards – from NICEIC/NAPIT certification to SIP accreditation.
We’ve also introduced an Installation Center, Technical Support Service and Installation App to make the process of specifying and commissioning our chargers faster and simpler. This has been a real driver of loyalty among business customers who want to work with brands that make their job easier.
S. What challenges have you faced in educating consumers and installers about the benefits of your product features, such as switchable Wi-Fi/4G connectivity?
The biggest challenge is cutting out the noise. Many consumers focus on price and energy output, without realizing the real-world impact of “always-on” connectivity – especially for smart tariffs, remote diagnostics, expense tracking, and over-the-air updates.
With installers, the hurdle is time. They’re busy, so we worked to provide quick, clear explanations, backed by practical examples: If a customer’s home Wi-Fi service goes out, the charger automatically switches to 4G, which means fewer callbacks and happier customers. Once they see it, they get it immediately.
S. Can you share any insights or data you’ve gathered from early adopters of the Cord Zero charger? What surprised you most about their comments?
One thing that stood out was how quickly people embraced the solar integration features – even customers who didn’t have panels yet were impressed that the ability was “ready to go.” We’ve also seen very high engagement with the new Cord app, especially the tariff scheduling tools.
In terms of hard data, more than 70% of users have set at least one smart charging schedule, showing that drivers are actively looking to optimize charging costs. The surprise to us was how much customers appreciated the build quality and aesthetics; “Looks good on the wall” came in with a lot more reactions than we expected.
Q: What role do partnerships – such as the one with Halfords – play in your long-term growth strategy? Have you been able to establish similar relationships with wholesaler clients?
Partnerships are a key element of our strategy. Being in Halfords actually helps our trade and wholesale customers recommend Cord in a crowded market with many brands that consumers don’t know about.
On the wholesaler side, we work closely with many national and regional players, offering not only the product but also POS displays, compliance inspection devices and installer training.
Our goal is to be the “positively easy” choice wherever customers go to purchase their charger – whether that’s from a retail store, online marketplace, or commercial counter.
Q: Given your experience in the battery industry, how do you see synergies developing between EV chargers and home energy storage systems?
The link gets stronger every year. As electric vehicle adoption grows, more households are looking at how to use their cars, home solar, and battery storage as one energy ecosystem. Chargers like Cord Zero are already integrated with solar PV, home batteries and eventually vehicle to home/grid.
My background in batteries gives me a strong belief that customers will increasingly expect these systems to work together seamlessly – and the brands that can deliver this integration will simply win.
S. What initiatives or innovations is Cord EV exploring to support the commercial fleet market, which often have very different charging requirements than domestic users?
We focus on solutions that give fleets maximum flexibility with the lowest upfront cost. Our new Cord EVIRA portable charger has been a standout, especially for operators who want home charging without the unrecoverable expense of installing fixed units. By plugging into a standard 32A CEE socket, drivers can obtain 7.4 kilowatt charging at home, while the same unit can be used in locations with temporary power or without permanent charging infrastructure.
We’ve also built automatic mileage reimbursement into the Cord app, making it easier for fleet managers to track and recover home charging costs without the need for an additional admin.
Looking to the future, we are developing energy resilience services that can allow fleets to generate revenue by supporting the grid during peak demand.
Q: Do you have any important developments coming up in the future that you would like to share with readers?
There is a lot in the pipeline. Over the next 12 months, we will launch Cord Zero models in brushed aluminum and expand the range with three-stage versions, along with the EVIRA portable charger with 4G smart cord.
We are also rolling out our Energy Flex platform, which allows drivers to earn money by participating in grid balancing events, and deepening Smart Tariff integration with popular options like OVO Anytime and Intelligent Octopus Go to help users automatically charge at the cheapest times.
Furthermore, we develop ‘energy health check’ tools to show customers how much they can save by switching tariffs, adding solar or installing home battery storage. It’s all designed to positively facilitate electric vehicle charging and clean energy.
Evira: One product, many uses
Cord’s latest launch is EVIRA – a professional-grade portable charger that turns any CEE Commando socket into an ultra-fast charging point for electric vehicles.
Designed specifically for commercial professionals, fleet operators, workshops and site teams, EVIRA delivers up to ten times faster charging than a standard three-pin charger with no installation, owner permissions, groundwork or wall mounting.
Four versions are available:
Multi-power model (2.3 kW → 22 kW) with interchangeable plug set for 3-pin commando sockets and CEE 22 kW (1phase32ACEE) 11 kW (3phase16ACEE) 7.4 kW (3 phase 32A CEE)
EVIRA is smarter, safer and more adaptable and features adjustable current (8A – 32A), a delay start timer for off-peak charging, and a charging amount adjustment function to control energy delivery by kWh or session time.
The built-in LCD screen displays voltage, current, power, power supplied and elapsed time in real time.
Designed for even the harshest environments, EVIRA is IK10 shockproof, IP65 weatherproof, operates from -40°C to +80°C, and comes with a 2-year warranty.
Its multi-layer safety system includes over-current, AC and DC leakage, over-temperature, surge, ground, and over/under voltage protection.
Get more product details here
Browse the full range of Cord EV products here
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