Can You Charge an EV with Solar?

If you own an electric vehicle, chances are you care about living sustainably and staying on top of the latest technology.

It makes sense that EV drivers who invest in solar power want to charge their cars with the sun too. But solar EV charging isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.

You need to find a solar ev charger that works for your home, your driving habits, and your lifestyle. Keep reading to learn how solar energy can power both your house and your electric car.

How Does Solar EV Charging Work?

Think about how you charge your phone or laptop by plugging it into a wall outlet. An EV charging station works the same way—it uses your home’s electricity to charge your electric vehicle battery. The level 1 charger that came with your EV plugs into a standard outlet.

The problem? Level 1 chargers are painfully slow. It can take more than a full day to fully charge your car. And because they draw power from the grid, they drive up your electricity bills significantly.

Solar EV chargers solve both problems.

First, solar chargers are level 2 chargers, which means they’re much faster than the standard charger you got with your vehicle. You won’t wait all day for your car to charge.

Second, because they connect directly to your home’s solar panel system, you save money on electricity costs. The sun provides free renewable energy after installation. Homeowners who rely on grid power for ev charging typically pay much more each month.

What Do I Need to Charge an EV with Solar Panels?

Most homes aren’t wired to deliver the voltage needed for a level 2 ev charger. That’s why solar ev charging stations require professional installation.

A qualified installer will visit your home to assess several key factors. They’ll check your electrical panel capacity, examine your roof for optimal solar panel placement, and evaluate your current energy usage. This site visit typically takes 1-2 hours.

Your installer can help you connect your charging station to your solar energy system. Your options include:

• Creating a dedicated circuit to charge your ev
• Installing a heavy-duty plug to increase voltage from a standard wall outlet
• Adding a specialized inverter to convert dc power from your solar panels into ac power for your charger

The installation process usually takes 1-2 days for the ev charger and 2-3 days for solar panel installation if you’re adding panels. You’ll need permits from your local building department, which your installer typically handles.

Several factors determine the best ev charger for your home: your driving habits, energy consumption, your home’s wiring, and the capacity of your solar panel system. Professional installation costs typically range from $1,000-2,500 for the ev charger, with solar panel additions costing $3,000-5,000 per kilowatt of capacity after federal incentives.

How Many Solar Panels Do You Need to Charge an EV?

Most electric vehicles have batteries between 60-75 kilowatt hours. If you drive the average 30-40 miles per day, you’ll use about 10-12 kilowatt hours of electricity daily to charge your ev.

In Colorado, a single solar panel produces roughly 1.5-2 kilowatt hours per day depending on the season and your location. This means you’d need 6-8 solar panels dedicated just to charging your electric car. If you want to power your entire home plus your vehicle, you’ll typically need 20-25 panels total.

Most homeowners already use some solar energy for their houses. Adding panels for ev charging often means expanding your existing solar panel system by just 6-10 panels. Your installer can calculate the exact number based on your roof space, sun exposure, and driving habits.

Colorado’s high elevation means our solar panels capture sunlight more efficiently than in many other states. Summer production peaks with up to 14 hours of sunlight daily. Winter drops to about 60% of summer output, but your system can still generate enough electricity to keep your electric vehicle charged year-round.

The investment pays off quickly. Those 6-8 additional panels cost roughly $3,000-5,000 after federal tax credits but save you $1,200+ annually on gas and electricity costs.

What Should I Look For in a Solar EV Charger?

Buying an electric car reduces your reliance on fossil fuels. Adding solar ev charging is the next step for homeowners who want energy independence and a smaller carbon footprint.

An at-home ev charger lets you “refuel” without hunting for charging stations or depending on the slow level 1 charger that came with your vehicle.

Look for chargers compatible with your current or newly installed solar energy system. Because these are built specifically for homes that rely on solar power, you won’t need to drastically change your energy usage or install more solar panels.

The best ev chargers let you control when and how your vehicle charges. You can operate them from your computer or smartphone. You can schedule charge times for when your home electricity demand is lowest and when you have excess solar energy stored in your battery storage system.

Also look for equipment rated for both indoor and outdoor use. This matters if you don’t have a garage or if installing a charging station inside your garage isn’t practical.

Understanding Charging Speed and Time

The speed at which you charge your ev makes a big difference in daily convenience. Level 1 chargers deliver only 3-5 miles of range per hour of charging. That means if you drive 40 miles to work and back, you need 8-10 hours to fully charge overnight.

Level 2 solar ev chargers deliver 25-30 miles of range per hour. The same 40-mile commute? Your car’s fully charged in just 90 minutes. Most ev owners plug in when they get home and have a full battery by dinner time.

Charging speed depends on three things: the charger’s power output, your vehicle’s charging capacity, and available voltage. A 240-volt level 2 charger operating at 40 amps delivers about 9.6 kilowatts of power. That’s enough to charge most electric cars from empty to full in 4-6 hours.

During peak sun hours in Colorado (typically 9am-3pm), your solar panels produce maximum electricity. If you work from home or have flexible hours, charging during these times means you’re using pure solar energy rather than drawing from the grid.

Battery storage changes the equation entirely. With a battery backup system, you can store excess solar energy during the day and use it to charge your ev at night, maintaining energy independence around the clock.

Power Up with a Solar EV Charger

As solar power and electric vehicles grow more popular, it’s important to work with a company you can trust. At REenergizeCO, we handle every part of your solar energy improvements—from designing and installing the system to ongoing support and monitoring.

REenergizeCO proudly offers both Enphase and Tesla EV Chargers.

Many electricians and general contractors lack expertise in solar energy systems. When you work with our team, you get knowledge, professionalism, and commitment to making solar power work for both your home and your car.

Why Solar EV Charging Makes Sense

When solar panels capture sunlight, they generate electricity you can use to charge your electric car. This eliminates burning fossil fuels and reduces your environmental impact while saving you on electricity bills.

Colorado homeowners typically save around $1,200 annually by eliminating gasoline purchases and grid-powered ev charging costs. Your solar panel system generates electricity during the day, with excess solar energy stored in battery storage systems or sent back to the electric grid.

A properly sized solar array produces 15-25 kilowatt hours per day, which translates to 50-80 miles of driving range for most electric vehicles.

Energy Independence for EV Owners

Solar ev charging gives you true energy independence. You’re no longer tied to the electric grid or gas stations. Your car runs on clean renewable energy from the sun.

Battery storage systems ensure you can charge your ev during cloudy weather or at night. The grid connection provides backup power during high demand periods.

Most ev owners achieve energy self-sufficiency for their transportation within 6-8 years through savings on fuel and electricity costs.

Financial Incentives Make Solar EV Charging Affordable

Government and utility incentives can meaningfully reduce your solar EV charging investment. While the federal solar tax credit ended December 31, 2025, Colorado’s sales tax exemption, property tax exemption, and utility rebates remain available.

Colorado offers additional rebates for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. You can stack multiple incentives to achieve substantial savings.

These incentives apply to solar panels, solar inverters, battery storage systems, and installation costs. Utility companies offer net metering agreements that pay you for excess solar energy you send back to the electric grid.

Professional incentive analysis reveals savings opportunities worth $8,000-15,000 on complete solar ev charging installations.

Ready to Charge Your EV with Solar?

The combination of solar power and electric vehicles creates a complete clean energy solution. You’ll reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and gain independence from the grid.

Contact REenergizeCO to discuss adding an ev charger to your solar energy system. We proudly serve homeowners in Denver, Fort Collins, and throughout the Front Range of Colorado.

Our team will help you calculate optimal solar panel configuration and navigate federal tax incentives. We’ll ensure your solar ev charging setup delivers maximum value.

Make the switch to solar ev charging and experience sustainable transportation—powered by sunshine, controlled by you, and designed to save money while protecting the environment for future generations.