The electric vehicle home charger is an increasingly familiar sight, but not necessarily an attractive one. Most remain functional objects, plastic boxes attached to exterior walls chosen primarily for compatibility and cost.
Andersen EV
believes that, as electric cars become more commonplace, homeowners will begin to consider the appearance of their charger with the same care they might apply to a front door, exterior lighting or other architectural details.
Its new partnership with English Heritage takes that thinking a step further, introducing two limited-edition wooden fascias inspired by Wrest Park in Bedfordshire and Eltham Palace in south-east London.
Both finishes are made from Accoya, a modified timber selected for its durability and weather resistance, and will be offered across Andersen’s Quartz, A2 and A3 home chargers.
The Wrest Park design features a rich redwood stain inspired by the Giant Redwood growing within the estate’s grounds. The warmer finish also provides a local connection for Andersen, which manufactures its chargers in Bedfordshire.
The second fascia takes inspiration from the Blackbean veneer used within the entrance hall at Eltham Palace. The distinctive Art Deco interior was created as part of Stephen and Virginia Courtauld’s transformation of the medieval royal residence during the 1930s, with the entrance hall designed by Swedish architect Rolf Engströmer.
Its deeper, darker finish gives the charger a more restrained and architectural appearance, particularly suited to modern properties or homes with darker timber detailing.
Speaking at the launch at Wrest Park, Andersen chief executive David Martell told CALIBRE that the company expects the design of domestic charging equipment to become increasingly important as EV ownership grows.
“If people are putting pieces of electronic equipment on the side of the house, they want something they’re proud of, something that’s going to last and something that looks good when they drive up the driveway,” Martell said.
“By the early 2030s, the vast majority of houses will have charging points. It’s horrible to think that some of those will be ugly plastic bits of kit.
“We’re working hard to make the charger something that can add style to your house, rather than being a blot on the landscape.”
It is an ambitious prediction, particularly given the number of British homes without private driveways or convenient off-street parking. Nevertheless, home charging equipment is likely to become substantially more visible as electric vehicle adoption increases.
That creates an opportunity for manufacturers to distinguish products that have, until now, largely been sold on their technical specifications.
Andersen has made customisation a central part of its identity, offering charger covers in different colours, metals and timber finishes. The English Heritage collection adds a more specific design story, linking each fascia to the material character of a historic property.
For English Heritage, the partnership also provides an additional source of funding. A contribution from every charger sold through the collection will support the charity’s work caring for more than 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites, although the organisations have not disclosed the amount contributed from each sale.
Alexandra Bovey, licensing manager at English Heritage, said the products offered another way of connecting people with the places in the charity’s care.
“It’s a way for us to tell the stories of our sites through products,” she said. “Every time somebody purchases one of these chargers, that purchase helps us care for properties such as Wrest Park.
“We share an understanding of quality and sustainability, so it felt like a very natural partnership.”
The Wrest Park and Eltham Palace finishes are available immediately across the Andersen Quartz, A2 and A3 ranges. Andersen also says it hopes to expand the English Heritage partnership into other areas of EV charging.
