Charging from solar panels
Charging from your own solar panels is satisfying and, on a sunny day, nearly free. In the UK it works best as a summer bonus alongside a cheap overnight tariff.
Three ways to do it
- Solar-aware chargers. Several smart chargers can watch your solar output and charge only from surplus power, varying the charging current as clouds come and go.
- Tesla's own solar charging. If you have Tesla solar or a Powerwall, the Tesla app can direct excess solar into the car.
- Manual. On a sunny weekend, plug in at midday and set a low current on the car's touchscreen to roughly match your panels' output.
How much can it cover?
It depends on your system and when the car is at home. A typical home system produces most in late spring and summer around midday, when many cars are at work. Owners who work from home or have a second car at home benefit most.
Things to know
- A car needs at least about 1.4 kW to start charging on a single phase, so small systems on cloudy days may not get started.
- Charging from solar means not exporting that power, so compare your export payment with your import tariff.
- A home battery can store daytime solar for evening charging, but adds cost.