How to Charge a Tesla With Solar Panels?

Home How to Charge a Tesla With Solar Panels?
05/07/2022
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There is a significant probability that you will look into installing an EV charging outlet at your home if you are an electric vehicle (EV) owner or are interested in getting one. Home charging ports offer EV owners a practical option to refuel their electric vehicle without having to locate a public charging station. 

It is occasionally necessary for these owners to install their EV charging stations because there are not nearly as many of them as there are public petrol stations. 

Home charging stations use the current electrical system to supply power. Given that an electric automobile can store a substantial quantity of energy, the cost of consuming this electricity is comparable to regular residential electrical use, therefore it may be somewhat expensive. For both solar panel owners and EV owners, charging tesla with solar panels is a perfect solution.

Can a Tesla Be Recharged With Solar Panels?

A solar charging car
Source: Pexels

The answer to the question, can you charge a tesla with solar panels, is pretty simple.

Many homeowners wonder if they can use solar panels to power their Tesla cars, and the answer is yes. 

The batteries of an electric vehicle, such as a Tesla, can be used to store solar energy. Musk has described his most recent objective, which he claims can be accomplished with his two-pronged approach for homes looking for fossil fuel substitutes:

  1. Install solar panels on your roof to produce electricity by utilizing the sun’s energy.
  2. Utilize that solar power to recharge your Tesla Model S.

Thus, charging Tesla with solar panels is very possible. 

What Number of Solar Panels Are Required to Charge a Tesla?

Multiple solar panels being used as a charger
Source: Pexels

To charge a Tesla, around ten solar panels are required. The kW of the system and the number of panels required to supply higher demand will determine how long it takes to charge a Tesla using solar energy. When it comes to charging an electric vehicle, a number of different aspects are involved, such as:

  • The efficiency of solar panels
  • Being charged for the EV
  • Location

After determining how much energy a Tesla vehicle will need, the next stage is to determine how many solar panels will be needed to generate that charge.

A Tesla that uses 18.1kWh per 62.13 miles will require an average of 8 solar panels with 400 watts each to charge. The average annual distance for Americans is 13,476 miles, so 3.2 kW of DC production power is adequate.

What Tools Are Necessary To Charge An Electric Vehicle?

Two white and red tesla charging stations
Source: Pexels

Keep in mind that the energy needs of your home are increased by the solar panels required to power your vehicle. As a result, if you want your home to be carbon neutral, you will need to significantly expand the size of your solar PV array to supply enough electricity for an EV.

So aside from solar panels what else do you need?

  • A battery pack

You will also want a means of energy storage in addition to solar panels. The majority of families rely on overnight charging of their EVs when the sun is not shining, so this storage is essential. Today’s market offers a variety of methods for storing batteries at home.

  • Charging Point

You also need a place where you can plug in your car for charging, which is typically in your garage or driveway. So in order to use solar panels to charge tesla a tesla solar charging station needs to be built.

How Long Will Tesla Typically Take to Charge?

A tesla automobile electric car
Source: Pixabay

Your automobile will always be fully charged in less than eight days, regardless of the charger you choose. It’s unlikely that you will ever use all eight days for charging your car, though, as very few individuals would ever completely drain their Tesla’s battery.

Depending on the charger they choose and how much of their battery is already charged, it will typically take between one and twelve hours for the majority of individuals to charge their Tesla. Your Tesla will nearly always be exactly where you want it to be after an overnight charge, so you can relax knowing that it will take you anywhere you need to go in the morning.

How Does the Cost of Solar Panels Differ From Others?

A red tesla car on the roadside
Source: Pexels

Although analysts predict that energy prices may also increase in the years to come, in general, it costs more to fill up an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle with gas than it does to charge an electric vehicle (EV) at home. This is particularly true if you are careful to charge at off-peak times, when electricity may be less expensive, or if you run your charger off of solar panels on your house.

What Happens if the Charge in Your Tesla Runs Out?

Charging Tesla
Source: Pexels

The message “Battery power very low” will appear as your battery life nears its end. decreased cooling and heating If you continue driving, a second warning that reads, “Car shutting down, pull over carefully,” will show. A short while later, the car’s power will fail and you’ll hear an alert.

Because some models can be carried while others cannot, it is recommended to have the car loaded into a flat-bed truck to either be taken home or to a charging station. Roadside groups are looking into installing roadside emergency chargers in their cars, and it appears that as the number of EVs rises, so will the use of these chargers.

Even the lithium batteries used in electric vehicles shouldn’t be entirely depleted, according to technical standards. To prolong lengthy battery life, it’s a good idea to discharge batteries to a maximum of 80%.

Conclusion

Solar Power charging
Source: Pexels

A solar panel system and EV charging station work together to give various advantages as well as a practical way to generate and use solar energy. This kind of configuration is required if you want to install a solar panel system that can supply enough energy to power your electric vehicle. It’s critical to consider whether you want to add a home charging outlet when making the decision to install your solar panel system.

Even if you want to purchase an electric vehicle in the next two to three years, you should design your solar project with that in mind because it may affect the kind of inverter and quantity of panels you require. Your electric car can be charged more affordably by using solar panels, which can range in numbers from 6 to 12.

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