Electric Vehicles and Solar

Electric Vehicles Solar

At Sol Luna Solar, we are increasingly seeing car drivers installing solar at their home’s to charge their electric vehicle with solar. Clean, renewable solar energy and electric powered vehicles make for a winning combination. Between November 2015 and November 2016, there were over 130,000 plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles solar nationally. The total number of electric vehicles solar to date is at 542,000 (data retrieved from Chargepoint).

What are the benefits of Electric Vehicles?

Reduced Emissions: For many, the choice is simple; less gas guzzling cars and trucks on the road mean preservation of our atmosphere and reduced carbon emissions.

Affordability: Like Solar, electric vehicles provide a longterm investment, one that doesn’t require you filling up at the pump. With cost becoming more mainstream, electric vehicles are more affordable to a larger population of drivers than ever before.

Unlimited Options: As more an more electric vehicles are sold, the options and types of EV’s has broadened to include: compacts, sedans, and SUV’s; all powered by 100% electricity.

Customers who pair a rooftop solar installation with an electric vehicle are essentially becoming more self-sufficient and less reliant on the aging electricity  which derives most of its energy from fossil fuels. These fossil fuels, like the gasoline for your vehicles increases carbon emissions and affects our environment.

Charging your Electric Vehicle

You bought an electric vehicle. Now what? There are several ways to charge your electric vehicle. Today’s powerful lithium-ion batteries are able to provide some electric vehicles with over 200 miles of travel before needing a recharge. This great advancement is helping EV’s compete with traditional vehicles in performance.

There 3 types of EV charging Solutions:

1. Level 1 – Slowest, uses 120 volts (standard electrical outlet) and adds about 305 miles of range per hour to the battery.
2. Level 2 – most common type of charging. Uses a dedicated 240 volt circuit and charges much more quickly than Level 1. Chargers are usually completed overnight. These types of charging solutions are fairly easy to install, but will require an electrical to perform the installation.
3. Level 3 – Fastest Charging system as it draws 480 volts of power. These systems can charge a nearly dead battery to approximately 80% capacity in as little as 30 minutes.

Grid Tied Systems To Power Your EV

Electric vehicles are generally charged at night when they are not being used to commute from one location to another. With a grid-tied system you are not directly charging your car with your solar array. This is because without battery back up, your solar system only supplies energy during the day. If you charge your vehicle at night, your electric vehicle draws electricity from the grid. With net-meting you are able to offset the consumption needed to charge your EV with the production produced by your solar system during the day.

Conclusion

Electric Vehicles are becoming a mainstream option and when paired with a solar energy system by Sol Luna Solar, customers are seeing a great return on their investment. IN addition to the long-term savings, customers are also becoming self-sufficient and FREE from the traditional models that were developed for how we derive our electricity and how we move from place to place.