You’ve heard of walking on sunshine, but did you know that it’s possible to drive on sunshine? OK, not literally – that would be difficult, not to mention dangerous – but sunshine, or more specifically solar energy, can be used to charge an electric car.
If you’ve got a set of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on your roof, you’ll know that it’s possible to harvest the sun’s rays to power your household appliances. It’s cheaper and greener than having to rely solely on your domestic electricity supply and you can even generate some income by exporting excess energy back to the grid.
Alternatively, you could use this extra energy to charge an electric car. Once you’ve paid for the installation of the solar panels, you’re essentially getting the electricity for free. As a bonus, it’s from a renewable source, which helps to improve your car’s carbon footprint.
How does solar panel charging work?
To charge an electric car using solar energy, you need to install a solar system on the roof of your house. The amount of power generated by the system depends on the available sunshine and how many solar panels you have.
A typical domestic system will consist of 14 to 16 solar panels, but 8 to 12 should be enough to charge an average-sized EV battery. A larger battery will require more power and it’s worth remembering that you’re relying on sunshine to generate power. Cloudy days will lead to disappointment.
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