Amber Pulls The Plug On Charge HQ

Amber is shutting down Charge HQ, just 18 months after acquiring one of Australia’s best-known solar EV charging services.

Why Is Charge HQ Shutting Down?

Charge HQ announced the closure in an email to customers, confirming it will stop charging subscription fees immediately while continuing to operate until September 7, 2026. Existing users should download their charging history before then, as they won’t be able to retrieve it once the service closes.

Although the standalone app is closing, Charge HQ co-founder Jay Banyer says its smart charging technology will continue through Amber as the company focuses on Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) charging and whole-home energy management. 

According to Banyer, the decision reflects Amber’s changing priorities rather than a problem with Charge HQ itself.

In his email to customers, he explained:

“Amber’s business focus has shifted towards Vehicle-to-Grid charging, whole-of-site optimisation across solar, batteries and EVs, and support for more EV and charger brands. It no longer makes sense to run Charge HQ as a separate product alongside that.”

That marks the final stage of a transition that began in early 2025 when Amber acquired Charge HQ.

At the time, Amber said the acquisition would help it deliver smarter EV charging to more customers while expanding support for different EVs and chargers. SolarQuotes also noted that combining Charge HQ’s software with Amber’s wholesale electricity expertise had the potential to simplify EV charging for customers using dynamic electricity pricing.

Today, Amber’s focus extends well beyond smart EV charging. The company is investing in software that coordinates:

• rooftop solar
• home batteries
• electric vehicles
• dynamic electricity pricing
• future Vehicle-to-Grid services.

Against that backdrop, operating two products with similar capabilities no longer made commercial sense, Amber claimed.

The news provoked dismay among ChargeHQ users on social media, one of whom called it a “massive kick in the guts”.

Multiple people on social media expressed concern that Amber for EVs is only available to Amber customers with Teslas (although trials are underway to expand to other EV brands). Several pointed to EVCC as an alternative, although cautioned that it requires more technical knowledge.  

What Charge HQ Users Need To Do

If you already use Charge HQ, you don’t need to make any immediate changes. The service will continue operating until September, giving you time to prepare.

Before the shutdown, you should:

• Download your charging history, as you won’t be able to retrieve it after the service closes.
• Continue using Charge HQ as normal until 7 September.
• Choose another charging solution if you rely on Charge HQ to automate your charging.
• Restore your vehicle’s or charger’s default charging behaviour after the service closes, if required.

Charge HQ has also confirmed it will:

• stop subscription billing immediately
• permanently delete personal data, payment details and equipment credentials within 30 days of closure
• contact eligible Australian customers separately about an Amber for EVs offer.

Banyer acknowledged that the shutdown is personal as well as practical:

“I will miss the app when it’s gone. I use it every day, and I’m sure that is true for many others.”

If you have questions about your account or the transition, Charge HQ says its Closure FAQ should answer most common questions. The company will continue providing support until the service closes.

For its part, Amber offered an apology to Charge HQ users in a statement on its website, and noted that those who are not currently Amber customers would be offered six months’ worth of Amber subscription fees for free should users decide to join the energy retailer. 

Why Did Charge HQ Matter?

Charge HQ succeeded because it solved a problem many EV owners still face.

A typical Australian home might have a solar inverter, EV charger, battery and electric vehicle from four different manufacturers. Most companies build software for their own hardware ecosystem. Charge HQ took a different approach by bringing compatible products together through software.

Instead of asking homeowners to replace working equipment, it adjusted EV charging to match excess solar generation, respond to electricity prices and integrate with a growing range of devices.

That flexibility made Charge HQ particularly attractive to homeowners who had gradually built their energy systems over time.

SolarQuotes first highlighted the potential of Charge HQ while it was still in beta, and later interviewed Banyer about the platform’s development.

Reflecting on the company’s original goal, Banyer wrote:

“Charge HQ was built to solve a problem – helping EV drivers charge from their rooftop solar, across a wide range of inverters, chargers and battery brands, without having to think about it.”

That problem hasn’t disappeared. If anything, it has become more relevant as more Australians add EVs, batteries and smart energy devices to their homes.

Wrapping Up

Although the standalone app is coming to an end, Banyer says its ideas will continue through Amber’s EV platform.

He closed his email with a simple message to the community that helped build Charge HQ:

“I’d like to thank everyone who tried the app and especially those who provided feedback. I hope that you enjoyed using the app and found value in it.”

For tips on how to take EV charging from solar into your own hands, read our guide on how to charge your car on sunshine only.