If you’ve already invested in solar panels, you might be wondering:
“Can I use my solar panels to charge my electric car?”
The short answer is yes — absolutely.
With the right setup, your solar panels can generate clean, free electricity that charges your car directly from the sun. But there are a few practical things to understand before you plug in.
How Solar Charging Works
Your solar panels produce DC electricity during daylight hours. A solar inverter converts that into AC electricity — the same type used in your home.
If you have an EV charger installed that’s solar compatible, it can automatically draw power from your panels whenever it’s available, topping up your car using renewable energy instead of the grid.
It’s like running your car on sunshine — quite literally.
At GU Solutions, we’ve helped homeowners across Burghfield Common, Arborfield, and Spencers Wood set up solar-compatible chargers that make the most of every kilowatt their panels produce.
The Right Charger Makes All the Difference
To use your solar panels effectively, you’ll need a smart EV charger that can detect when your panels are generating excess electricity.
Popular models such as the myenergi Zappi, BG Sync EV, and SolarEdge Home Charger integrate directly with your solar system. They automatically adjust charging power based on how much solar energy you’re producing — and how much you’re using elsewhere in the house.
That means you’re not pulling expensive electricity from the grid when the sun’s doing the work for you.
With a solar-ready charger, you can:
- Charge your car directly from your solar panels
- Prioritise self-consumption and reduce export losses
- Monitor your solar generation and charging in real time via an app
- Still charge from the grid when solar power isn’t available
Many of our customers around Sherfield-on-Loddon and Eversley say this is one of the best energy-saving upgrades they’ve ever made — not just for the cost savings, but for the satisfaction of knowing they’re driving on renewable energy.
What If I Don’t Have Enough Solar Power?
You don’t need a huge solar array to make it worthwhile. Even a modest 3–4kW system can provide plenty of energy for part of your charging needs.
On sunny days, you might get a full charge using solar alone. On cloudy days or in winter, your system will automatically top up the difference from the grid.
Smart chargers handle this seamlessly — so you never have to think about switching sources.
If you live in Riseley or the surrounding areas and already have solar panels, we can check your system’s capacity and design a charger setup that makes the most of it.
What About Battery Storage?
Adding a home battery makes solar EV charging even more effective.
Instead of exporting excess solar energy during the day (often for just a few pence per kWh), you can store it and use it later to charge your car overnight.
This gives you:
- Maximum use of your own solar power
- Cheaper, cleaner driving
- Backup power during outages
- Greater independence from rising energy prices
If you’re planning a new solar installation, it’s often best to think about EV charging and battery storage together. That way, everything works seamlessly from day one.
Can Any Electrician Install a Solar-Compatible Charger?
Not quite. EV charging and solar integration both fall under specialist electrical work regulated by the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) and Building Regulations Part P.
Your installer needs to understand both systems — not just how to fit a charger, but how to integrate it safely with your solar inverter and, if you have one, your battery storage system.
At GU Solutions, we’re fully NICEIC Approved Contractors with more than 20 years of experience in domestic and renewable electrical systems. We handle everything from design and installation to certification and setup.
We install trusted, solar-ready EV charger brands like Zappi, BG Sync, SolarEdge, and Pod Point, across Basingstoke, Reading, and the surrounding Hampshire and Berkshire villages.
How Much Can You Save?
It depends on how much you drive, how big your solar array is, and how often you charge during the day.
But many homeowners who combine solar with EV charging save hundreds of pounds a year on running costs — and significantly reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.
For example, if your panels produce just 10kWh of spare energy a day, that’s around 2,500–3,000 miles of “free” driving per year.
Book Your Solar EV Charger Survey
If you already have solar panels, or you’re planning to install them soon, we can help you make sure your setup is ready to power your car efficiently and safely.
Call GU Solutions on 01256 473326 or send us a message to book your solar-compatible EV charger survey.
We’ll check your current system, explain your best options, and design a charging setup that maximises your solar savings.
Because when the sun’s shining, your car shouldn’t be sitting idle — it should be charging, cleanly and for free.
