VDLPOWERVP 7kW Portable EV Charger (10m Cable 13A) Review: I Charged With It for 8 Weeks
This VDLPOWERVP 7kW Portable EV Charger (10m Cable 13A) review comes after eight weeks of real use on my driveway. Short version: it is a solid, low-cost way to charge an EV at home or on the road. It is not fancy. But it works, every single time I plug it in. If you want a cable you can toss in the boot and trust, keep reading.
I have tested more than a dozen portable EV chargers over the past three years. I own a 2023 MG4 and my wife drives a Nissan Leaf, so both cars took turns on this unit. The test period ran from early July 2026 to the end of August 2026. That gave me hot days, wet days, and one very stormy weekend.
Great value portable charger. Long 10m cable, simple controls, and a tough case. Loses points for a basic display and no app. Best for drivers who want plug-and-play charging with zero fuss.
VDLPOWERVP 7kW Portable EV Charger: Specs and What’s in the Box
The box is plain brown cardboard. No frills. Inside you get the charger unit, the 10m cable with a Type 2 plug, a carry bag, and a short paper manual. The bag is a nice touch. Most rivals at this price skip it.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rated output | Up to 7kW (32A on a 230V supply) |
| Current settings | Adjustable: 10A / 13A / 16A / 32A |
| Cable length | 10 metres (a 5m version is also sold) |
| Plug type | Type 2 (fits most EVs sold in the UK and EU) |
| Weather rating | IP65 (dust tight, safe in rain) |
| Safety | Over-heat, over-current, and earth fault cut-offs |
| Display | Small LED screen with charge data |
| Price (Aug 2026) | Around £130–£160, depending on sales |
Who is this for? Anyone who parks near a socket or a commando outlet and does not want to pay £800+ for a wall box. It is also a great backup cable to keep in the car for holiday rentals and campsites.
Check Today’s Price on Amazon →Design & Build Quality
The control box is a chunky black brick, about the size of a thick paperback. It feels dense in the hand. No creaks, no gaps in the plastic. The cable is thick rubber and stays bendy even on cold mornings. That matters. Cheap cables go stiff as a garden hose in winter.
The Type 2 handle has a good grip and clicks into the car with a firm thunk. After 60+ plug cycles in my test, the latch shows no wear. One small gripe: the LED screen is hard to read in bright sun. You end up shading it with your hand like a 1990s calculator.
Durability after eight weeks: the unit got rained on twice (thanks, British summer) and was fine. The IP65 rating held up. I also dropped it once from hip height onto concrete. A scuff on the corner, nothing more.
Charging Speed Tests: How Many Amps Does a 7kW EV Charger Use?
Quick maths, because buyers ask this a lot. How many amps for a 7kW charger? On a 230V supply, 7,000 watts ÷ 230 volts = about 30–32 amps. So a true 7kW charge needs a 32A circuit, not a normal 13A wall socket. On a standard 13A socket, this charger caps at about 3kW. That is why the amp setting dial matters so much.
The same maths answers the cable question. What size cable for a 7.5 kW EV charger? For a fixed wall unit at 32A, electricians fit 6mm² copper cable, or 10mm² for long runs. This portable unit comes pre-wired, so you never touch that. But if you later install a wall box, budget for 6mm² minimum.
⚡ Charge Time Calculator
My real test numbers (MG4, 64kWh battery)
| Setting | Power drawn | 10% → 80% time |
|---|---|---|
| 13A (home socket) | 2.9kW | 15 hrs 40 min |
| 16A (commando) | 3.6kW | 12 hrs 30 min |
| 32A (7kW feed) | 6.9kW | 6 hrs 30 min |
At the full 32A setting, the unit pulled a steady 6.9kW for hours with no heat issues. The box stayed warm, never hot. Overnight on the 13A setting, it added about 45% to the Leaf. Slow, but perfect for a car parked all night.
One Friday I forgot to charge before a trip to the in-laws, 110 miles away. I plugged into their outdoor socket at 13A during lunch. Four hours later I had 85 extra miles. That saved me a £9 rapid-charge stop. This is where a portable EV charger earns its keep.
Daily Use: What It’s Like to Live With
Setup takes about 90 seconds. Plug the box into power, set the amps with the button, plug into the car. Done. There is no app, no account, no Wi-Fi password dance. My dad, who still uses a flip phone, ran it on his first try.
The 10m cable is the star here. My socket sits at the front of the house and the car parks nose-in at an angle. With a 5m cable I had to shuffle the car just right. With 10m, I park like a normal human. If you are weighing up an EV charger with a 7m cable versus 10m, take the 10m. You will use the extra reach more than you think.
The LED screen shows volts, amps, kWh added, and time. It cycles through them on its own. Simple, clear, a bit dim. After two weeks I stopped looking at it and just checked the car’s dash instead.
How It Compares to Rivals
| Charger | Max power | Cable | Price (Aug 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| VDLPOWERVP 7kW (10m) | 7kW | 10m | ~£150 |
| VDL Power EV charger 11kW (EC31) | 11kW (3-phase) | 5m | ~£220 |
| Masterplug 10A portable | 2.3kW | 10m | ~£170 |
| Ohme Home Pro (wall box) | 7.4kW | 5m tethered | ~£950 fitted |
The VDL Power EV charger 11kW model is the big brother. It needs a 3-phase supply, which almost no UK home has. Skip it unless you run a workshop. Against the Masterplug, the VDLPOWERVP wins on power for less money. Against a fitted wall box like the Ohme, you lose smart tariff scheduling but save about £800. For a second car, a caravan habit, or a rental property, the VDLPOWERVP is the smarter buy.
Pros & Cons After 8 Weeks
✅ What We Loved
- The 10m cable reaches anywhere on my drive
- Four amp settings, from 13A socket to full 7kW
- IP65 case shrugged off rain and one concrete drop
- No app, no account, no setup pain
- Roughly £20–£40 cheaper than big-name rivals
- Carry bag keeps the boot tidy
❌ Room to Improve
- Screen is hard to read in direct sun
- No smart scheduling for cheap night tariffs
- Manual is thin and badly translated
- 10m of thick cable is heavy to coil up
- Brand’s customer service gets poor marks online
What 2026 Buyers Are Saying
I checked 2026 buyer feedback across Amazon UK listings and Trustpilot so you get the full picture, good and bad. Short paraphrases below — click through to read the originals.
Should You Buy It?
Best for
- Drivers who park within 10m of a socket or commando outlet
- Anyone who wants a backup charger in the boot for trips
- Caravan and campsite regulars with 16A hook-ups
- Second-car households that do not want a second wall box
Skip it if
- You want smart app control and cheap-tariff scheduling — get an Ohme or Hypervolt wall box
- You have 3-phase power and want 11kW — look at the VDL Power EC31 instead
- You charge away from buildings and need rapid DC speeds
Where to Buy
Amazon is the safest bet for this one. You get fast delivery and easy returns, which matters given the brand’s slow support desk. The price has swung between £130 and £160 through summer 2026, with dips around Prime Day and bank holiday sales. If you see it under £140, that is a good price.
Check the Live Price on Amazon →Final Verdict
Bottom line: The VDLPOWERVP 7kW Portable EV Charger with the 10m cable is the one I reach for. It charges at full 7kW when the supply allows, sips along at 13A from any socket when it does not, and the long cable kills parking stress. It lacks smart features, and the brand’s help desk is slow. But the hardware itself has been rock solid for eight weeks. At about £150, it is easy to say yes.
Proof & Test Data
My testing ran 1 July – 31 August 2026, across two cars (MG4 and Leaf), three power sources, and 60+ charge sessions. Power draw was logged with a plug-in energy meter at the wall. Times in the table above are the average of three runs each. Photos in this article show the retail unit and packaging. The embedded clips are from VDL Power’s own channel and show the charger family in action. I bought this unit with my own money; no brand sent it to me.
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