You can charge an EV with solar panels, and for most Australian households it cuts the running cost of driving to near zero.
If you already have rooftop solar or are thinking about installing it, adding an EV charger creates one of the best returns on investment available. You are generating free electricity on your roof and using it to fuel your car instead of paying for petrol or grid electricity.
This article explains how to charge an EV with solar panels, what size system you need, and how to get the most out of daytime solar for your driving.
SolaXs installs solar systems and EV chargers on the Mid North Coast. Get in touch for a quote that includes both solar and EV charging.
How EV Charging From Solar Panels Works
Solar panels generate DC electricity during daylight hours. Your inverter converts that to AC power, which flows to your home loads, including an EV charger plugged into the circuit.
When your solar panels are producing more power than your house is using, the surplus goes to the EV charger. If production drops below what the charger needs, the system draws the difference from the grid, unless you have a battery.
The three ways to charge an EV from solar:
- Direct solar charging: Plug in during the day and let excess solar flow to the car. Cheapest setup, works with any EV charger.
- Solar + battery: Store daytime solar in a home battery, charge the EV in the evening. More flexible but higher upfront cost.
- Smart charger with solar tracking: A smart EV charger that adjusts its charge rate based on current solar production, avoiding grid draw entirely.
For most households, direct solar charging during the day is the simplest and most cost-effective option. Park the car at home during the day, plug it in, and let the sun do the work.
What Size Solar System Do You Need to Charge an EV
The average Australian drives about 40 km per day. Most EVs use between 15 and 20 kWh per 100 km, which means daily driving uses around 6 to 8 kWh.
A 6.6 kW solar system on the Mid North Coast produces roughly 25 to 30 kWh per day in summer and 15 to 18 kWh in winter. That is more than enough to cover daily driving and still power the rest of the house.
| Solar system size | Daily production (Mid North Coast avg) | Enough for daily EV charging? |
|---|---|---|
| 5 kW | 18 to 22 kWh | Yes, with careful timing on higher-use days |
| 6.6 kW | 25 to 30 kWh | Yes, comfortably covers home + EV |
| 10 kW | 38 to 45 kWh | Yes, excess for battery or grid export |
| 13 kW | 50 to 58 kWh | Yes, suitable for two EVs or high-use homes |
If you already have a 6.6 kW system and are adding an EV, you may not need to upsize. Check your current export data. If you are exporting 8+ kWh per day to the grid, that surplus can go straight into the car.
Choosing an EV Charger for Solar
Not all EV chargers work equally well with solar. The difference comes down to whether the charger can match its draw rate to your current solar production.
- Standard (dumb) charger: Draws a fixed rate (usually 7 kW or 32A). If your solar is only producing 3 kW at that moment, the rest comes from the grid.
- Smart charger with solar integration: Communicates with your inverter and adjusts the charge rate to match available solar. This maximises self-consumption and minimises grid draw.
- Portable charger (granny charger): Plugs into a standard 10A socket. Charges slowly at about 2.3 kW, which is easy for a solar system to cover but takes 20+ hours for a full charge.
A smart EV charger with solar tracking is the best option if you want to avoid drawing from the grid entirely. It adjusts between 1.4 kW and 7 kW based on what your panels are producing right now.
If you charge during the day while you are at work, a timer on a standard 7 kW charger can achieve a similar result. Set it to charge between 10am and 2pm when solar production peaks.
How Much Money You Save Charging an EV With Solar
Charging an EV from the grid costs roughly 8 to 10 cents per kilometre at current NSW electricity rates. Charging from your own solar costs nothing beyond the system you have already paid for.
For a household driving 15,000 km per year, the comparison looks like this:
| Fuel source | Cost per 100 km | Annual cost (15,000 km) |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol (average sedan) | $14 to $18 | $2,100 to $2,700 |
| Grid electricity (off-peak) | $5 to $7 | $750 to $1,050 |
| Grid electricity (peak) | $8 to $10 | $1,200 to $1,500 |
| Solar (self-consumed) | $0 | $0 |
Even if you only charge from solar half the time and use the grid the other half, you are still saving $1,000+ per year compared to petrol. Over the life of the solar system, the fuel savings alone can pay for the EV charger installation.
Battery Storage and EV Charging After Dark
The obvious limitation of solar EV charging is that the sun is not shining when most people arrive home from work. A home battery solves this by storing daytime solar for evening use.
- A 10 kWh battery stores enough for a typical day of EV driving (6 to 8 kWh) plus some evening household use
- A 13 kWh battery gives more headroom for heavier driving days or running the house overnight
- Some EVs with vehicle-to-home (V2H) capability can act as the battery themselves, powering your house during peak rates
If a battery is not in the budget yet, charging during the day is still the most effective strategy. Work-from-home days, weekends and a timer set to midday peak production all help.
SolaXs solar packages can include battery storage designed to pair with EV charging. Talk to the team about a system that covers both.
Get Solar and EV Charging Installed Together
The most cost-effective approach is to install solar panels and an EV charger at the same time. SolaXs handles both on the Mid North Coast, CEC-accredited with 25+ years of experience.
- Solar system sized to cover your home and EV charging needs
- EV charger installation with correct circuit protection and metering
- Battery-ready wiring if you want to add storage later
- Ongoing support through the Solar Care Plan
Contact SolaXs for a quote that covers solar, battery and EV charger installation. One installer, one warranty, one point of contact.
EV Charging on the Mid North Coast
Driving electric on the Mid North Coast comes with different considerations to city driving. The distances between towns and the reliance on home charging make your setup more important.
- Home charging covers most needs: The average daily drive in the Port Macquarie region is under 40km. Even a basic 7kW charger replenishes that overnight with time to spare.
- Solar pairing makes sense: Charging from your own solar system during the day costs nothing. A timer or smart charger schedules charging to match peak solar production.
- Three-phase matters for speed: If you have three-phase power, a 22kW charger adds around 120km of range per hour. Single-phase homes are limited to 7kW, which adds roughly 40km per hour.
- Weatherproofing: An outdoor-rated charger (IP65 or higher) handles the coastal humidity and rain without issues. Most quality brands meet this standard.
SolaXs installs EV chargers across the Mid North Coast. We handle the electrical assessment, charger selection, and installation in one visit.
EV Charging Tips for Mid North Coast Homeowners
Living on the Mid North Coast gives you a natural advantage for solar EV charging. With around 5.2 peak sun hours per day on average, Port Macquarie homes generate more solar energy than most of the country. Here are some practical tips to get the most out of it.
- Charge during the solar window – Set your charger timer for 9am to 3pm when production peaks. Even a standard 7 kW charger will add 40+ km of range in that window
- Use your monitoring app – Check your inverter’s monitoring app to see how much surplus solar you are exporting. That exported energy is worth 5-8 cents per kWh as a feed-in tariff, but it saves you 30+ cents per kWh if you put it into your car instead
- Plan around your household loads – Avoid running the air conditioner, pool pump, and EV charger all at the same time during a cloudy day. Stagger your loads so the charger gets priority during peak sun
- Consider your driving pattern – Most Mid North Coast commutes are under 50 km per day. A full charge every day is rarely needed. Topping up 20-30 kWh over a weekend is often enough for the whole week
- Check your electrical capacity – Older homes may need a switchboard upgrade to support a 7 kW charger alongside existing loads. SolaXs checks this during every EV charger installation assessment
The combination of solar panels and an EV charger is one of the strongest financial cases in home energy right now. You are replacing a fuel cost of $14-$18 per 100 km with free electricity from your roof. Over the life of the system, that adds up to tens of thousands of dollars in savings.
For more information, see the Australian Government electric vehicles guide and the ARENA EV charging infrastructure.