EV Charging and Solar: Can You Power Your Electric Car from Your Rooftop?
- QLD Outback Solar
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Electric vehicles are arriving in rural Queensland in growing numbers. And the question we're hearing more often is a sensible one: if I'm investing in solar, can I use it to charge my car?
The short answer is yes. And when you do the numbers, it changes the economics of both the solar system and the vehicle significantly.
How Much Electricity Does an EV Actually Use?
A typical electric vehicle consumes roughly 15–20kWh per 100 kilometers, depending on the model, load, and driving conditions. For average Australian driving of around 13,000km per year, that's approximately 2,000–4,000kWh of electricity annually roughly equivalent to adding one or two extra people to your household's energy consumption.
Compare that to running on petrol: at around 8 liters per 100km and $2.20 per liter, annual fuel costs for the same distance are roughly $2,300. Charging from the grid drops annual 'fuel' costs to around $500–$600. Charging from your own solar during the day the cost approaches zero.
What Size Solar System Do You Need If You Also Have an EV?
If you're adding an EV to your plans, it's worth sizing your solar system accordingly from the start. A standard 6.6kW system covers most household electricity consumption. An EV adds 2,000–4,000kWh of annual demand, which generally means stepping up to a 10kW system to cover both comfortably.
EV charging is inherently solar-friendly it's a daytime activity if you set it up that way. Smart EV chargers can be programmed to charge only when your solar system is producing surplus power, redirecting what would otherwise be exported to the grid (at 8–10 cents) into your car's battery at zero cost.
How Does a Smart EV Charger Work With Solar?
Modern smart EV chargers connect to your home's energy management system and detect when your solar panels are generating more than your house is consuming. Rather than exporting that surplus to the grid for a low feed-in tariff, the charger diverts it directly into your vehicle.
This is often called 'solar-only mode' or 'eco mode', and it's particularly valuable for homeowners where the feed-in tariff is low like Ergon Energy customers in regional Queensland, where the current export rate is 8.66 cents versus 28–33 cents for grid power you'd otherwise buy.
What About Rural Properties That Drive More?
This is where the numbers get particularly compelling for our customers in outback Queensland. Longer distances, higher fuel bills, and fewer public charging stations mean home solar charging is the backbone of an EV strategy for regional properties not a nice-to-have. Charging at home from your own solar covers daily needs; fast chargers in regional towns handle longer runs.
For rural Queensland homeowners sizing a solar system for the first time, factoring in an EV circuit during the initial installation is much cheaper than retrofitting it later.
Current Incentives
At the federal level, the Cheaper Home Batteries Program (from 1 July 2025) applies to home battery systems, which can complement solar and EV charging by storing daytime generation for overnight vehicle charging. The rebate covers approximately 30% of eligible battery costs.
📞 Planning an EV or want to future-proof your solar system for one? Let's design it right from the start. Call William on 0424 030 189 or visit www.qldoutbacksolar.com
All facts in this post are sourced from the following authoritative sources. We recommend bookmarking these for ongoing updates government rebate details and tariff rates change regularly.
1. Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water — Electric vehicles
Official federal government information on EVs in Australia, incentives, and the broader clean transport strategy.
2. Queensland Government — Electric vehicles and charging
Queensland Government EV page including current state-level rebate and charging infrastructure programs. Check here for current EV SmartCharge rebate status.
3. Federal Government — Cheaper Home Batteries Program
Battery rebate details. Relevant for EV owners who want to store solar for overnight vehicle charging.
4. Solar sizing guide for Queensland — EV and energy consumption
Detailed Queensland-specific guide to sizing solar systems that account for EV charging loads. Includes kWh estimates for common EV models.
5. Australian Government — Energy.gov.au: Electric vehicles and solar
Federal government overview of combining home solar with EV charging, including smart charger guidance.
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