The electric car in Spain is already practically a reality, every year more electric cars are registered, brands such as Tesla, MGo, BYD Auto are selling an astonishing number of quite large electric cars. The transition is a fact, then, given the price of electricity and the fact that more and more people are betting on solar panels, it is normal that the question arises of how many solar panels you need to charge your electric car at home. That’s just what you’re going to discover here.
In this article you will learn how many photovoltaic panels you need to power your electric car. In addition, you will also see what the monthly energy expense and in euros of the electric car is and how you can make that calculation of the number of photovoltaic panels to be able to translate that expense into a zero on your electricity bill each month.
How to know the number of solar panels
When deciding how many solar panels you need to charge an electric car, you must take several aspects into account. The amount of energy the vehicle will require depends on both the characteristics of the car and your driving habits. Therefore, before you start installing panels, consider these key points:
- Car battery capacity: Battery capacity is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). The higher it is, the more energy you will need to charge the vehicle. For example, a typical electric car may have a battery between 40 and 60 kWh, while a plug-in hybrid is usually around 10-15 kWh. To determine the load energy needs, it is essential to know this information.
- Consumption per 100 km: most electric cars consume between 12 and 20 kWh per 100 kilometers. If you know how many kilometers you drive per year, you can easily calculate the energy your car will consume annually.
- Hours of sunshine and panel efficiency: The hours of sunshine in your region and the efficiency of solar panels greatly influence the amount of energy they generate. In areas with more hours of sunshine, such as southern Spain, the panels will produce more electricity. Additionally, the power of each panel (measured in watts peak, or Wp) is also key to making an accurate estimate.
Calculation example: how many plates do you need?
Let’s give a practical example to illustrate the calculation. Let’s imagine that you have an electric car with a 50 kWh battery and you want to travel about 10,000 km a year. The car’s consumption is about 15 kWh per 100 km, which represents an annual consumption of 1,500 kWh. In addition, we must also take into account the charging power, which will be around 7kWh maximum, so we must have enough solar panels to charge the car within the solar production curve.
- Power in kWp of the solar panels: more than the solar production throughout the year, what is needed is that the charging curve of the electric vehicle is within the solar production curve. Taking this into account, to charge our car at a cost of €0 we will have to install solar panels that generate at least 7kWp. The usual thing in these cases is to install solar panels that provide a power of approximately 9kWp, so that the charging of our car during central hours is within the charging curve.
- Solar production throughout the year: taking into account that we have compensation for surpluses, and it is even possible to contract batteries or virtual batteries, it is also very important to take solar production into account. In this case, since we are going to install 9kWp of panels to cover the power demanded, we will not have a problem even if we use the car much more.
- Adjust according to additional consumption: keep in mind that, if in addition to charging the car you want to cover part of the energy needs of your home, you may need some additional panels to compensate for the consumption.
Charging electric car at home with solar panels
When we think about charging an electric car, we usually think about doing it at night, when solar energy is not available. However, there are two effective solutions to take advantage of solar energy:
- Self-consumption system connected to the grid: the installation of solar panels connected to the electrical grid allows you to use solar energy when the sun is available and resort to the grid when there is no sun. You can even benefit from surplus compensation, which reduces your electricity bill by pouring excess energy into the grid.
- Storage batteries: Batteries accumulate the energy produced during the day for use at night or on cloudy days. This is especially useful if you prefer to charge your car at night. Although batteries represent an additional investment, they give you energy independence and the flexibility to use solar energy when you really need it. Logically, depending on what you need to charge the car, they may not be enough because it is normal to have 5kWh or 10kWh batteries at home but no more.
Advantages of charging the electric car with solar energy
Choosing to charge your electric car with solar energy has several important benefits:
- Long-term savings: Although the initial investment is considerable, solar energy reduces your energy costs over time, helping you save on your electricity bill.
- Energy independence: by generating your own energy, you depend less on the grid and protect yourself from possible increases in electricity prices. This is in cases when you charge during the day, logically, because at night there is no solar production.
- Lower environmental impact: using solar energy to charge your car reduces COâ‚‚ emissions and contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Charging an electric car with solar panels is an investment that allows considerable savings and brings you closer to a more environmentally friendly life. Calculate how many panels you need based on your needs and habits, and take the step towards a greener future.
