With the rapid development of the new energy industry, electric cars and solar panels are playing an increasingly important role in our daily lives. We are beginning to consider whether it is possible to use solar panels to charge an electric car, and the answer is yes.
To determine how many solar panels are needed to charge an electric car, it is important to understand the energy usage of the car, and you need to confirm the power of the solar panels as well as the amount of sunlight it receives on a daily basis. It usually takes 6 solar panels to charge an electric car.
Calculating the number of solar panels
1. Electric Vehicle Energy Usage
First, we need to determine the amount of power consumed by an electric vehicle per day. According to the Electric Vehicle Database, electric vehicles consume an average of 0.3 kWh of electricity per mile, and an average of 40 miles per day would result in a daily consumption of 12 kWh for an electric vehicle.
2. Average Hours of Sunshine
The average number of peak hours of sunlight per day is between 4 and 6 hours, and we take an average of 5 hours. Using the electric vehicle’s power consumption of 12 kWh per day divided by the average sunlight hours of 5 hours per day gives us a 2.4 kW solar panel system.
3. Determining the output power of the solar panel
The power output of solar panels varies by model, with outputs ranging from 250 to 450 watts. Most solar panels today have a power output of 400 watts or 0.4 kilowatts, so we will use 0.4 kilowatts as a standard for our calculations. Dividing a 2.4 kW solar panel system by the 0.4 kW output of each panel results in a requirement for roughly 6 panels to power the system.
However, this is only an estimate and depends on the type of electric car you have, your daily driving habits and the output power of the solar panels.
Benefits of solar panel charging
1. Money Saving
Under the condition of driving the same distance, the cost of charging an electric car is cheaper than the fuel cost of a gasoline car. Solar power is cheaper than the grid, which means that using solar panels to charge electric cars can save more, and at the same time can effectively avoid the negative impact of rising fuel and electricity prices.
2. Reduce Carbon Emissions
Solar panels produce clean, non-polluting renewable energy, and electric vehicles do not produce any tailpipe emissions, so combining solar panels and electric vehicles can effectively reduce carbon emissions. The combination of the two can also effectively reduce dependence on grid electricity and avoid the use of electricity generated from fossil fuels.
Conclusion
Utilizing solar panels to charge electric vehicles is the cleanest and most economical way to effectively reduce carbon emissions. Typically, six solar panels are needed to charge an electric vehicle.
