Why Solar Panels and EV Charging Work So Well Together
An electric vehicle is one of the largest energy consumers in a modern household. The average EV requires between 15 and 30 kWh to charge from near-empty to full — roughly equivalent to a day’s household electricity consumption for many homes. If that charge comes from the grid at full tariff rates, the running cost advantage of an EV over a petrol or diesel vehicle narrows considerably.
Solar generation changes that calculation. A properly sized solar power system can contribute meaningfully to EV charging during daylight hours, reducing or eliminating the grid electricity cost of running the vehicle. With battery storage added, solar power generation captured during the day can charge the car in the evening when most drivers plug in.
The combination of solar panels, battery storage and EV charging is increasingly the standard home energy setup for households making the transition away from fossil fuels. It is a system that SPI designs and installs as an integrated service.
Renewable Industry Certifications
How Integrated Solar and EV Charging Works
Solar-Powered Charging
Battery Storage Integration
With battery storage, surplus solar generation captured during the day is stored and used to charge your vehicle in the evening — when most drivers plug in and when grid tariff rates are typically higher.
Smart Tariff Optimisation
Smart EV chargers can be configured to charge from the grid during cheap-rate overnight periods when solar is not available, and to prioritise solar and stored energy during peak tariff periods. SPI configures the system for your specific tariff arrangement.
Getting the Integration Right With Solar Panels, Battery Storage and EV Charging
Solar, battery storage and EV charging are three separate technologies that work best when they are designed together rather than added sequentially without a system view.
A solar system sized only for household consumption may not have sufficient surplus to meaningfully contribute to EV charging. A battery sized for household evening consumption may not have capacity to charge a vehicle as well. An EV charger that is not integrated with the solar and storage system will simply draw from the grid regardless of what the solar system is generating.
SPI designs the whole system — solar, storage and EV charging — around your household’s energy profile, your vehicle’s charging pattern and your tariff arrangement. The result is a system that actually delivers the running cost reduction you are expecting, not one that was installed piecemeal and performs accordingly.
