Tesla has officially launched its new ‘Charge on Solar’ feature to let its electric car owners charge their vehicles with sunshine.
Renewable energies, like solar, wind, and hydro, are rapidly being deployed and are starting to produce excess energy.
Batteries are expected to fix that and enable better use of these energy sources by storing the energy and using it when needed.
Tesla also has an interesting new solution to allow owners of solar, Powerwalls, and Tesla vehicles to charge their vehicles with excess solar power.
We first reported on this feature when it was spotted in Tesla’s mobile app update earlier this year, but the automaker has now officially launched what it calls “Charge on Solar.”
The feature has now officially launched, and it is available to anyone in the US and Canada who have solar and the following Tesla hardware and software:
| Hardware | Software |
|---|---|
| Model S, Model 3, Model X or Model Y | 2023.26 or Higher |
| Powerwall with solar on site | 23.12.10 or Higher |
| Tesla app | 4.22.5 or Higher |
Tesla describes the feature:
With Charge on Solar, your Tesla vehicle can charge using only excess solar energy produced by your Tesla solar system. Using excess energy to charge your electric vehicle maximizes the value of your home’s solar system. Use the Tesla app to set Charge on Solar limits and have your vehicle charge using extra solar energy.
Top comment by Brian S
To bad they limit this to those having a Powerwall. I have 18kw of solar with Solaredge inverters and batteries. For those of us who have gone solar to reduce their carbon footprint AND have meters/transformers that allow for excess solar power to go to the grid, where you get the power for your EV is immaterial. When I have excess solar power, it is sent to the grid where it powers my neighbor's homes, reducing their carbon footprint (whether they like it or not.) 😂 If I have to pull from the grid to charge my Teslas because it is night, that's ok because I've already likely reduced the carbon footprint of others with my excess solar power that is greater than the carbon produced to charge my cars. It's like the grid becomes a virtual battery for my carbon footprint. My system produces about 110% of my energy needs yearly. Yes, I use the grid when solar power is not enough, but I am a power plant when I produce more energy than I use, which is most days.
If you have all the required hardware and software, you can go to your Tesla app, and under “Charge on Solar,” you will be able to set your charge limit using excess solar energy:
Tesla writes about the charge limit:
Your vehicle will charge from solar and the grid when your current charge level is below the left sun slider. After your vehicle’s charge level passes the sun slider, your vehicle automatically switches to only charge on excess solar up to your charge limit. Solar power and home loads are variables so if you ever want to charge faster, you can simply increase the lower charge limit to a desired range.
There’s also a scheduling feature that stops charging with solar after a specific time if you know that your energy consumption will increase at a specific time.
If you are looking to install solar on your own home, to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar – whether you’re a homeowner or renter. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them. EnergySage can help you compare quotes with solar installers who carry Tesla Powerwalls and even Tesla Solar in some markets.
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