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Calcimator

Solar EV Charging Calculator

Calculate how many solar panels you need to charge your EV. See system size, annual production, savings, and payback period.

Inputs

mi
mi/kWh
hrs
W

Results

Panels Needed

7

Annual Savings

$511.00

≈ 9 tanks of gas

System Size2.8 kW
Annual Production4,088 kWh
Payback Period9.6 years
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter your average Daily Miles Driven and EV Efficiency in mi/kWh.
  2. Set the Peak Sun Hours for your location (use the NREL PVWatts tool for accurate data).
  3. Enter the Panel Wattage for your chosen solar panels (typical residential: 350–430W).
  4. Review Panels Needed, System Size in kW, Annual Production in kWh, Annual Savings, and Payback Period in years.

How the result changes with Daily Miles Driven

Daily Miles DrivenPanels NeededAnnual Savings
255$365.00
7314$1,065.80
13224$1,927.20
18133$2,642.60

What each input means

Daily Miles Driven
Average miles driven per day.
EV Efficiency
Your EV's efficiency rating.
Peak Sun Hours
Average daily peak sun hours for your location (check PVWatts).
Panel Wattage
Wattage of each solar panel (typical residential: 350-430W).

What each result means

Panels Needed
Number of solar panels to offset your EV charging.
System Size
Total solar system capacity needed.
Annual Production
Estimated annual solar energy production.
Annual Savings
Annual electricity savings from solar-powered EV charging.
Payback Period
Years to recoup the solar investment (after 30% ITC).

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Daily Miles Driven = 35, EV Efficiency = 3.5, Peak Sun Hours = 5, Panel Wattage = 400 = 4 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Panels Needed
    Panels Needed
    7 = 7
  3. Calculate Annual Savings
    Annual Savings
    511 = $511
  4. Calculate System Size
    System Size
    2.8 = 2.8
  5. Calculate Annual Production
    Annual Production
    4088 = 4088

Engine last updated . Checked against 2 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators.

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