Electric Vehicles Are Changing The Way Australian Households Think About Electricity. Buying An Ev May Reduce Your Reliance On Petrol, But It Also Add

By Author: zip Solar
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Electric vehicles are changing the way Australian households think about electricity.
Buying an EV may reduce your reliance on petrol, but it also adds a new electrical load to your home. If most of that charging electricity comes from the grid, your electricity consumption can increase significantly.
That is where rooftop solar becomes particularly useful.
A well-designed solar system can generate electricity during the day that may be used to charge your EV, helping reduce how much electricity you need to buy from your retailer.
But simply installing solar does not automatically mean your car will always be charged with solar power. Timing, solar system size, vehicle usage and charging equipment all matter.
How Does Solar EV Charging Work?
Solar panels produce electricity whenever sufficient sunlight reaches them.
That electricity is first available for loads operating within your home. If your EV is connected and charging while your solar system is generating enough electricity, some or all of the charging demand can potentially be supplied by your rooftop solar.
Any shortfall ...
... generally comes from the grid.
For example, suppose your solar system is producing 5kW while your home is consuming 1kW.
That leaves approximately 4kW of solar generation available for other loads, including your vehicle charger.
This is why daytime charging can be particularly useful for homes with an EV.
What Size Solar System Do You Need for an EV?
There is no universal solar system size that suits every electric vehicle owner.
Your ideal system depends on:
• How many kilometres you drive
• How frequently the vehicle is charged
• Your existing household electricity usage
• Available roof space
• Solar generation conditions
• Whether you have one or multiple EVs
• Whether you plan to add battery storage
A household that drives only a few hundred kilometres each month will have very different requirements from a family travelling long distances every day.
Rather than designing solar around the EV alone, your installer should consider your complete household energy profile.
At Zip Solar, residential options include systems such as 6.6kW, 10kW and 13kW configurations, allowing the system design to be matched more closely to the property and expected electricity demand.
Is Daytime EV Charging Better?
From a solar-use perspective, daytime charging is often ideal.
Your panels generate electricity during daylight hours. Charging your vehicle during this period gives your household the opportunity to use that electricity directly instead of exporting it first and purchasing electricity later.
This can work particularly well for:
• People working from home
• Retired households
• Shift workers
• Families with a second vehicle at home
• EV owners with flexible charging schedules
Smart EV chargers can make this approach even more effective because some can adjust charging according to available solar generation.
What If Your Car Is Away During the Day?
This is one of the biggest challenges for commuters.
Your solar system may generate most of its electricity while your vehicle is parked at work.
You then arrive home in the evening when solar generation has dropped.
There are several ways to deal with this.
You could schedule more charging on weekends, use workplace charging when available, or consider home battery storage.
A solar battery stores excess daytime electricity so it can be used later.
It does not necessarily mean your battery should be sized specifically to fully charge the EV. Instead, the battery, solar system and vehicle should be considered together.
Should You Install More Solar Before Buying an EV?
If you are already planning to buy an electric vehicle within the next few years, it makes sense to discuss that future demand before installing solar.
Installing a system based only on your current electricity bill can leave you with insufficient generation once the EV arrives.
The same applies if you expect to add:
• Electric hot water
• Induction cooking
• Additional air conditioning
• A swimming pool
• A second electric vehicle
• Battery storage
Planning ahead may help avoid needing to redesign your energy system shortly after installation.
Solar, Battery and EV: A Useful Combination
Solar panels generate the electricity.
A home battery gives you greater flexibility over when that electricity is used.
An EV creates an additional load that can take advantage of your generation.
When designed correctly, all three can work together as part of a broader home energy system.
The important point is that bigger is not automatically better.
Your solar and battery capacity should be based on real energy use, expected vehicle charging and the physical characteristics of your property.
Is Solar EV Charging Worth Considering?
For households already considering an electric vehicle, rooftop solar can be a valuable part of the transition.
Instead of replacing petrol costs with higher grid electricity consumption, solar gives you an opportunity to produce some of the energy used by your vehicle at home.
The greatest benefits generally come from matching charging periods with solar generation and designing the system around both present and future electricity needs.
Planning to Buy an EV?
If an electric vehicle is part of your future, plan your solar system with that extra electricity demand in mind.

We are Australia’s growing solar retailer, developed with a vision to provide clean energy solutions to more homes and businesses. Our goal is to provide homes right across the country with renewable energy solutions and high-quality solar energy systems. We are proud of the work we do, working towards a cleaner future for our beautiful country while saving our valued customers money on every bill. With a quality system and workmanship guarantee, our customers are happier and more power efficient with Zip Solar.