Electric vehicles or EVs are less harmful to the environment than petrol and diesel cars, and

much cheaper to run, which are just two of the many reasons why more and more people are
making the switch.

If you are considering getting an electric vehicle, or you already own one, you may be
interested in a simple way that you can further reduce the environmental impact of running an
electric vehicle, and significantly reduce the already low running costs. Namely, by installing
an EV home charging station and powering it with solar PV panels.

How does an electric vehicle work?

Electric vehicles are powered by a series of batteries which sit beneath the floor of the car. A
control unit manages how much energy is required (thousands of times per second), and an
interactive touchscreen on the dashboard shows you how many miles the battery will cover
on its current charge and how much power you are using. Because the car does not need the
usual engine and transmission, there is usually more space inside the car.

Pros of driving an EV
Electric vehicles or EVs are becoming a more common sight on USA roads, and a big reason
for their popularity is that – unlike petrol and diesel vehicles – they do not produce harmful
emissions at the tailpipe, and they are often cheaper to run than petrol and diesel vehicles.
There are now lots of EVs on the market offering a variety of different features, recharge
times, impressive mileage range capacities, fast charging, government benefits and
incentives, and they all offer a spacious, smooth, and easy driving experience as they do not
have gears.

Cons of driving an EV
However, while zero tailpipe emissions is a definite selling point for people who are
concerned about the environment, EVs are not a completely green transport solution. This is
because, while electricity companies are increasingly using renewable technologies to
generate their power, the majority of our electricity from the National Grid is still fuelled by
natural gas and coal.

Another potential drawback for drivers is that there is a relatively limited number of electric
vehicles charging stations in the USA. According to Google-Map, which monitors the USA
EV charging network, as of November 2022, there are over 40,000 EV charging devices
(with more than 70,000 connectors) in over 15,500 locations across the USA. The stations are
run by lots of different energy companies which charge different rates to use their charging
stations, e.g. $6 for 30 minutes' charge. An EV charging station is not like a petrol and diesel
station as they are much smaller and tend to be tucked away in a corner of a car park or
motorway service station.

A simple way to get past this potential problem is to install your own EV home charging
station.
Using an EV home charging station
Many EV drivers are choosing to install their own home charging point, so they do not need
to worry about locating a station while they are out (with the exception of long journeys), or
being caught out by expensive electricity charges because they have no alternative station
nearby.

EV home charging points are installed where you usually park your car. They are compact
weatherproof units which are mounted to a wall. The car is plugged into the charge point and
charged using electricity from the National Grid. This means that your EV running costs are
dependent on your home electricity tariff.

How long does it take to charge an EV at home?

The speed at which an EV will charge depends on the make and model of the car, but it is
measured in kilowatts (kW). An EV home charging point will charge an EV at 3.7 kW or 7
kW. A 3 kW home charge unit will provide a full charge in around 12-13 hours, while a 7
kW unit will give a full charge in around 6-8 hours. The mileage range that an electric vehicle
will cover on a single charge will depend on the model of electric vehicle that you have.

How much does it cost to run an EV?

The average price of electricity in the California is 35p per kWh or 55p on Economy 28
(overnight). An electric car will cover around 3.5 miles per kWh (on average), which works
out to an approximate cost of$4 for every 100 miles or 4p per mile.

The cost of driving an EV works out to around 2-5p per mile. When you compare this to the
cost per mile of driving a petrol or diesel car, the potential savings are clear.

Average running costs Petrol Diesel Electric

Cost per mile 20p 15p 8p

Cost per 50 miles $8.00 $6.50 $2.00

Cost per 100 miles $16.00 $13.00 $4.00

Cost per 1,000 miles $160.00 $130.00 $40.00

Cost per 10,000 miles $1,600.00 $1,300.00 $400.00

Note: The above calculation is based on assumptions need exact cost of kwh and car average
per liter or gallon.

An electric car can be as much as three times cheaper to run than a petrol car, but there is a
way to reduce EV running costs and emissions even further.
EV home charging with solar panels
Solar panels are the perfect partner for an EV home charging station, as buying solar panels is
like bulk-buying fuel for your EV. If you are planning on installing an EV home charging
station, you should also give serious thought to installing solar PV panels on your roof at the
same time. There are two big reasons for this.

Reduced emissions
If you install an EV home charging station to charge your car and power it with electricity
from the National Grid, EVs are not as environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, most of the
electricity we receive from the Grid is produced through the burning of fossil fuels like coal
and gas which emit harmful emissions. This reduces the environmental benefits of driving an
electric vehicle.

Solar PV panels convert natural energy from the sun electricity which can be used to power
an EV home charging point. This means that the car will use clean energy to run and will not
produce tailpipe emissions.

Cheaper – or zero – running costs

Solar PV panels generate free electricity which can charge an EV during the day. When the
sun is shining on the panels, the electricity has to be used immediately or sent to the National
Grid. On particularly cloudy days and during the night, solar panels do not produce
electricity.

However, by installing a solar battery as part of the system, you can store solar electricity
which is generated (and not used) during the day so that it can be used at another time, e.g. to
charge an EV overnight. So, if your EV home charging station is powered by solar and you
have a solar battery to store your free electricity, you could be running your car for free.

Can solar panels generate enough electricity to charge an

EV?
The short answer is yes, the average sized solar panel system can produce enough electricity
to not only power an EV, but also to power the average home as well. Of course, this is all
dependent on the capacity of your solar panels, how much sunlight they are exposed to, how
much electricity you use at home, the amount of charge your EV needs, and how many miles
you cover.

For example...

The average 5 kW solar PV system can generate 18 kWh of electricity per day between
March to October. The average USA home (which uses an electric cooker) uses 9 kWh of
electricity per day.

This leaves 9 kWh of electricity for an electric vehicle per day.

The average EV can cover 4 miles for every 1 kWh of charge. 4 (miles) x 9 (kWh) = 36 miles
of driving range per day, or 13,000 miles per year.

Winter in the USA can be cloudy which will reduce how much electricity your panels can
generate, but on average they will still produce around 7.5 kWh per day, which is enough to
power a car for 30 miles per day.

To calculate the right size solar panel system for your home, you need to work out:

1. A = Average daily electricity consumption

B = Average daily mileage divided by 4 (to get the kW used driving per day)

2. Add A to B to find out C (anticipated daily kWh electricity requirement)

3. C x 365 days of the year = D

4. D / 1000 = suggested kWh size of pv system needed to completely offset electric vehicle
and domestic electricity requirement