With electric vehicles continuing their rise in adoption across Australia, EV owners are looking for more innovative ways to save. One of these is to find new, more effective ways to charge EVs - and one such method is with solar EV chargers.
Using solar energy to charge your EV can be an efficient way to both charge your vehicle while also saving money and going green. This guide aims to cover all things related to solar EV chargers and how you can benefit even more with a novated lease on top.
What is a Solar EV Charger?
As the name suggests, a solar EV charger is a device designed to provide power to your electric car using power from your home’s solar panel system. This differs it from typical EV chargers that draw power from the grid, being focussed on using excess solar from your system to give your vehicle the juice it needs.
Compatible solar EV chargers can be installed in homes already housing solar panels, while these chargers can also switch between using solar power and grid power on the fly to adapt to factors such as time of day and weather.
How Does a Solar EV Charger Save Money?
With solar EV chargers, their biggest benefit to EV drivers is the long-term savings they provide. Since solar panels generate free electricity from the sun, they can provide little to no cost for charging your vehicle.
An added bonus is that any excess energy produced by your solar system that isn’t immediately needed for your home can be used to charge your EV. At the same time, it promotes more solar energy usage as opposed to power grid usage, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
These benefits come together to provide a household energy solution that reduces your carbon footprint, charging costs and your electricity bills - making solar EV chargers a great choice for solar homes.
The Best Solar EV Chargers Australia-Wide
As electric vehicles became more widely adopted across Australia, many solar EV chargers entered the market as options for those keen to use their solar production at home to get the maximum power out of their EV. Here are some of the most popular solar EV chargers in Australia.
Ocular IQ Home Solar Charger
Promoted as the all-in-one charging solution, the Ocular IQ is an EV charger capable of adapting the renewable energy source of solar energy into charging your electric car. With three charging modes and an app to monitor and track your grid power consumption, green energy is made even more powerful with the Ocular IQ.
Zappi EV Charger
Designed with solar charging in mind, the Zappi EV charger is one of the most popular options. It offers several modes, including eco-charging that uses only solar, or a mix of solar and grid. It also has built-in safety features and is compatible with most EVs.
Tesla Wall Connector (Powerwall)
Tesla’s home charger can be set up to work with Powerwall and solar systems. While it’s optimised for Tesla vehicles, it also works with other EVs using Type 2 connectors.
Fronius Wattpilot
The Fronius Wattpilot EV charger works well with Fronius solar inverters and includes smart features like scheduled charging, app integration, and power tracking. It’s suited to solar homes looking for more control.
Things to Remember with Solar EV Chargers
While there are many benefits to using solar power to charge your EV, there are some important factors to consider beforehand:
Check Your Home Solar Compatibility with EV Charging
Just because solar EV charging is possible, that doesn’t mean it’s a simple plug-in solution. You’ll need to check if your home solar system is compatible with the charger you’re interested in.
Get Your Home Charging Station Installed by Professionals
As with all EV chargers, a solar EV charging setup will need to be installed by a qualified electrician. You can also get an electrician or solar specialist to check your existing solar panel system to ensure you’ll get the most out of your system.
Understand Charging Timing
Since solar energy is generated from sunlight, it’s important to remember the timing of solar energy production and ensure your electric car will be able to maximise the solar energy generated.
Novated Leasing and Home Charging: A Quick Note
When it comes to long term savings while going greener and helping the environment, an electric car novated lease can be the best of both worlds. .
While a solar EV charger is not included with the lease, the novated lease itself allows you to get started on saving through paying off your vehicle with your pre-tax dollars.
From there, a solar charger for your EV can boost those savings further - depending on your setup and how many solar panels you have.
Go Electric and Save with Easi
If you’re looking to make the switch to electric vehicles, Easi can help you get started on the right path with an effective novated leasing solution that works for you.
We offer a wide range of electric cars that can take advantage of the benefits from a solar EV charger. Get in touch today for more information and to see how much you can save.
