Complete review of the SolarEdge EV charger

While installing solar can save you money on your electric bill and reduce your carbon emissions, homeowners are going even further and using solar electricity to charge their electric cars. Thanks to an innovative new product from SolarEdge, powering your car with solar electricity is easier than ever.

SolarEdge is the most popular inverter manufacturer on the EnergySage Marketplace – in the second half of 2017, two of every three quotes offered to solar shoppers on EnergySage included SolarEdge products. Their newest innovation is the EV Charging Single Phase Inverter, which directly integrates a charger for your electric car into your solar panel system.

According to Lior Handelsman, VP of Marketing & Product Strategy and Founder of SolarEdge, "SolarEdge's EV charging inverter is the first product that represents the paradigm shift that has occurred in solar over the last decade... We are excited to launch the world's first inverter that can charge a car from the sun."

When you install an integrated EV charging inverter, you'll save money in the long term by reducing your equipment and installation costs. SolarEdge's EV charging inverter does come at a slight price premium – if you want to install one as part of your solar panel system, you can expect to pay a few hundred dollars extra. But, these added costs are still lower than installing a separate charger later. For example, a standalone level 2 charging station can run you $500-700, plus another $500 for an electrician to install it, bringing its costs over $1000. Plus, installing an integrated EV-charging inverter eliminates the need for additional wiring, conduits, and a breaker down the line.

Cost savings are important, but there's another big benefit for SolarEdge: faster charging for your car. "The first-of-its-kind EV-charging PV inverter provides faster charging, thanks to its solar boost mode," said Handelsman. "…More power is delivered to the car by tapping power from the solar inverter in addition to pulling power from the grid." According to SolarEdge, this can result in charging speeds as much as six times faster than a level 1 charging station plugged into a standard wall outlet.

Having a single integrated product means you can monitor and manage your solar panels and electric car charging simultaneously, directly from your phone. SolarEdge's software can track your EV's power usage separately from your solar production, and you can control your charging remotely.

If you have an electric car or are about to buy one, the benefits are clear. But even if you don't currently own an EV, there's always the chance that you'll buy one in a few years. An estimated 1 in 10 new cars will be electric by 2025, and solar PV system owners are more likely to purchase electric vehicles than the general population.

"Anyone going solar should think about adding EV charging," said Handelsman. "If you don't have an EV now, you will almost certainly have one over the 20+ year lifespan of your solar energy system, so investing now and saving on purchase and installation costs makes sense."

The EV charging inverter is also an easy way to install a second charger at your home if you decide your next car will be an EV. According to Handelsman, "Most homeowners may not realize that an integrated EV charger may be the only way to add a second charger for a second EV without a costly upgrade of the home's main electricity panel."

If you already have a solar panel system but need to replace your existing inverter, you can easily upgrade to SolarEdge's EV charging option – the installation process is the same as installing a standard inverter. A bonus: if your inverter needs replacement, upgrading to a SolarEdge option may boost your electricity output thanks to improved efficiency.

Companies in SolarEdge's installer network – many of whom are submitting quotes to property owners on the EnergySage Marketplace – are now installing the EV charging inverter for homeowners and businesses across the country. To get your own EV charging inverter, register on EnergySage today and indicate your interest in an EV charging inverter in your preferences.