Using solar panels to charge an electric car can reduce carbon emissions and save the average household over £400 a year. Solar panels offer homeowners a way of generating clean, renewable energy to power their homes. So can they also charge our electric vehicles? In short, yes!
Tesla also has an interesting new solution to allow owners of solar, Powerwalls, and Tesla vehicles to charge their vehicles with excess solar power. We first reported on this feature when it was spotted in Tesla’s mobile app update earlier this year, but the automaker has now officially launched what it calls “Charge on Solar.”
According to EnergySage, you will need about seven to 12 solar panels to charge an electric vehicle at home. Given that each panel is roughly 5 by 3 feet, there simply isn't enough solar power being generated — or real estate on the vehicle for enough panels — to provide the energy needed to fully power a moving vehicle.
When compared to a regular EV charger, a solar charger can significantly increase how much of your solar electricity you use to charge your car. This will allow you to cut your electricity bills, and ensure your EV is always sufficiently charged.
A solar battery is particularly useful if you want to charge your vehicle overnight using solar energy, as it can store solar you have generated during the day. Using this energy means you can have a solar powered car and avoid using grid electricity, reducing your energy costs considerably.
Solar panels are rarely used to fully power an EV, but they can top up its charge After paying the installation costs of an electric charger, you’re also faced with the price of the electricity to charge your car. You can reduce this with solar panels, leaving you with a smaller carbon footprint and more money in the bank.