Solar EV Charging: Your Guide To Using Solar With Your EV charger.

From the manufacturing process to the end-of-life disposal, EVs reduce emissions by 40-50% throughout their lifecycle in comparison to similar internal combustion engine models.

However, one variable that affects the total environmental impact of an electric vehicle the most is where the electricity for its charging is sourced. In 2023, 65% of Australian electricity was still generated through fossil fuels, with the remainder through renewable methods – primarily solar.

The good news is that as an EV driver, you’re able to take control of your emission footprint and manage where your electricity is coming from using rooftop solar panels. Charging your EV on rooftop solar has the ability to save an incredible 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide over the vehicle’s lifetime compared to a petrol counterpart.

Using Solar for EV Charging

Depending on your driving habits, you can charge your EV directly from your rooftop PV system, or with solar energy stored in batteries.

The number of solar panels needed to charge your electric vehicle will depend on a number of factors. First up, your EV’s battery size, along with its energy efficiency, combined with your driving habits and your solar system’s efficiency. Add to that your household energy consumption, as well as how much sunlight your solar system receives.

The below formula can be used for calculating how many solar panels would be required for your EV:

1. kWh/km for your EV x average kilometres driven in a day = total kWh production for the EV

2. Total kWh production needed for EV / local peak sun hours = size of ideal solar system (in kW)

3. Convert the solar panel wattage of the brand of choice to kilowatts by dividing by 1,000.

4. EV production needed (in kWh per day) / panel efficiency (in kWh) = number of solar panels needed

Managing your Solar Energy

Instead of exporting excess solar to the grid, smart chargers can monitor solar generation and divert it to your EV charger instead – even in bad weather.

Here at EVOS, we offer a smart charging system that allows you to optimise your solar usage. Our MyEVOS app dynamically adjusts your charging rate to align with your solar production and is also able to seamlessly integrate with your energy storage device.

For example, most solar power in Australia is produced between the hours of 10am-3pm. If you’re unable to charge during that time, storage batteries can be installed and connected to your solar panels to collect the power during the day, and this renewable energy can charge your EV overnight.

With over 30% of Australians now having solar panel systems at home, understanding how to optimise solar for EV charging has never been easier.

If you have any questions about integrating solar charging with our energy management solutions, reach out to our friendly sales team at sayhi@evos.com.au