Electric car charging challenges to consider if you want to use home solar and batteries

[Jan]

The big problem with home charging an electric car on off-grid power

South African households who want to charge their electric vehicle (EV) overnight at an off-grid home will have to spend upwards of R225,000 on their backup power system.

Driving an EV can be a bonus for those with solar installations, as they can refill their car with self-generated power.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

We need a stationary battery tech, like Sodium Ion - less energy-dense than Lithium but much cheaper. So you can get 2-4 times the storage for the same price you can get with Lithium.

 

[chrisc]

If you time your charging periods to shorter periods during the day, there is no need to spend large sums on a 10kW charging unit

A fellow in Tokai has run a Nissan Leaf since 2019 and manages fine on his 10-panel solar system. He finds that 30 to 45-minute charging cycles every day or longer on Sundays is more than adequate to keep the battery in the 90% - 95% SOC

 

[Gaz{M}]

We have free EV charging at the office.

Note you will still save money on petrol, even paying Muni rates for electricity.

 

[mypetcow]

You can always set the car to charge slower. No need to push it to 100% every day. That way you can charge with any excess solar power you may have. I’m sure you can use home assistant to set up an automation. These charging stations can all have their charging power they provide to a car controlled externally by Ethernet/Wi-Fi.