If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and embrace clean energy, owning an electric vehicle (EV) and harnessing the power of solar energy for your home is a brilliant combination. Not only will you be driving on sunshine, but you’ll also make a positive impact on the environment and your wallet. New Jersey Solar Power (NJ Solar Power) offers insights into how you can use solar energy to power your EV and reap the benefits.
Charge Your Car for Nearly Nothing
When you install solar panels on your roof or in your yard, you can power your home with renewable solar energy. Any energy your solar panels generate goes toward running your appliances and electrical systems. By using this solar energy to charge your EV, you’re essentially charging your car for next to nothing.
One significant advantage is that you won’t see a spike in your utility bills when you charge your EV at home. Solar energy provides an additional energy source, helping to balance your overall electricity consumption.
Relieve the Strain on Utilities
Renewable energy not only benefits your finances and the environment but also eases the burden on your utility bills. Solar energy can act as an additional resource to power your home, helping to stabilize your overall energy consumption. Using solar energy to charge your EV significantly reduces the likelihood of causing an increase in your utility costs.
Furthermore, there are various tax rebates and incentive programs that can further sweeten the deal when combining solar panels and an electric vehicle.
Qualify for Tax Rebates and Incentives
In New Jersey, residents can enjoy substantial savings during tax season when they purchase or lease an EV, with potential rebates of up to $4,000. Additionally, you can save money on various state and federal New Jersey taxes when you invest in solar panels for your home.
One noteworthy benefit is the New Jersey Solar Property Tax Exemption, which prevents you from being taxed on the increased value of your home due to the installation of solar panels. These incentives, along with savings on utility bills, make the transition to solar-powered EV ownership a financially smart choice.
If you want to save money on gas, owning an electric vehicle is a great first step. Installing solar panels to charge your EV will take it to the next level.
Not only will you be driving on free solar energy, but you’ll also make a positive impact on the environment.
In this guide, we explain how you can use solar energy to power your EV and cover everything you need to know to reap the benefits.
How to Charge an Electric Vehicle with Solar Panels
Residential solar panels work by turning sunlight into electricity for your home. They can power or charge anything that uses electricity, including an electric car.
Using solar panels to charge your electric car is easy. If you have solar panels installed, all you have to do is plug your EV in during the day, when your solar panels are producing power. It will automatically charge using the electricity generated by your solar panels.
Here’s a closer look at how it works:
- Solar Power Generation – Your solar panels capture sunlight and convert it into electricity.
- Electricity Distribution – Your electrical panel distributes the electricity your solar panels generate throughout your home as needed.
- EV Charging – When you plug your EV into a standard outlet or your wall charger, solar power will flow through and charge your car for free whenever the sun is shining.
- Battery Storage – If you have a solar battery, you can store the excess power you produce during the day and use it to charge your EV at night. It will drain your battery quickly, but it’s a good option to have in an emergency.
Factors to Consider Before Installing Solar to Charge an EV
If you want to use solar panels to charge your electric car, there are a few important things to keep in mind when you’re installing your solar panel system.
Solar System Size
The most important factor to consider when installing solar panels for electric car charging is size. EV charging requires a lot of electricity. You need to make sure your system is big enough to produce the power you need.
At NJ Solar Power, we take system sizing seriously. Already have an EV? We’ll analyze a full year of your electric bills to ensure your solar system meets both your home’s and your vehicle’s energy needs. Planning to buy an EV? We’ll estimate your future charging costs and design your system accordingly, so you’re ready from day one.
Sunlight Exposure
The amount of sunlight your roof receives directly affects how much electricity your solar panels can produce.
New Jersey gets plenty of sunlight throughout the year to make solar EV charging worthwhile. But your solar panels have to be installed correctly if you want to get the full benefits of solar. We optimize panel placement to capture the most sunlight possible. That means more power, greater savings, and a smarter way to charge your EV!
EV Charger Type
There are a few ways to charge an EV at home. You can plug into a standard outlet or install an EV wall charger. We recommend installing an at-home wall charger for your EV. We’ll integrate a compatible wall charger with your solar energy system, giving you easy access to solar power for EV charging. It’s the fastest, most efficient, and most affordable way to charge your EV at home.
Benefits of Solar-Powered EV Charging
Charging your EV with solar power is good for the environment. But the financial benefits are just as compelling. Here’s why solar-powered EV charging makes sense financially in New Jersey.
Charge Your Car for Free
Rooftop solar panels generate electricity using free energy from the sun. When you use that electricity to charge your EV, you’re essentially charging for free. That’s a lot of extra cash in your pocket!
Protection Against Rising Electricity Rates
Electricity rates are constantly rising, especially in New Jersey. Thanks to a recent auction, NJ residents are going to see a huge increase in their electricity bills this summer when a massive 20% rate increase goes into effect.
Solar panels protect you against rising utility rates by allowing you to generate your own electricity for free. When you charge your EV with solar, your charging costs won’t go up when electricity rates increase.
Faster Payback on Your Solar Investment
The more solar power you use, the more you save on electric bills and the faster you will break even on your investment in rooftop solar. Once you break even, you are making money.
Increase Your Home’s Value
A solar system designed to power both your home and your EV can add value to your property, making it more attractive to future buyers—especially as EV adoption grows.
Use Tax Incentives to Reduce Costs
Solar incentives, including the 30% federal solar tax credit significantly reduce the upfront cost of your solar installation, making the investment in solar for your home and EV more affordable.
Want to Start Charging with Solar?
NJ Solar Power makes it easy to go solar. We’ll make sure your system is perfectly sized, optimally placed, and integrated with the right EV charger for maximum savings and efficiency.