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Solar + EV Calculator

How many solar panels does it take to charge an electric car? Enter your driving and we'll size the extra solar, what it costs, and what you save versus gas and versus charging from the grid.

Assumes home Level 2 charging at ~90% efficiency and your state's average sun. This is the solar to add on top of whatever offsets your household use.

Extra solar to cover the EV
  • EV charging energy
  • Added system size
  • Added panels (~400 W)
  • Added cost (gross)
  • Added cost after federal credit
  • Grid charging cost / year
  • Gasoline cost / year (replaced)
  • Fuel savings vs. gas / year
  • Payback (vs. grid charging)

Enter your driving to size it.

Get a solar + EV quote → Size the whole system →

How it works

An EV uses roughly one kilowatt-hour every 3–4 miles. Multiply your daily miles by 365, divide by efficiency and charging losses, and you get the kWh a year the car needs. Cover that with solar the same way you'd cover any load: divide by your local sun hours × 365 × derate to get the added kW.

Charging an EV on solar you already paid for is close to free driving. Even charging from the grid usually costs a third to a fifth of gasoline per mile.