A common question from EV owners: can a solar carport actually charge my car? The short answer is yes, and understanding the simple maths helps you size it right. Let’s walk through it.
The basic idea
Your carport’s panels generate energy during the day. That energy can charge your EV directly while the sun’s up, feed the rest of your home or business, or, with a battery, be stored for charging later. The more of your own generation you use to charge, the less you buy from the grid.
The generation side
Generation depends on the number of panels and your sunlight. Across the Canberra region there are 4.9+ peak sun hours daily. A single-bay carport carries around 9 modules and a double bay around 15. Multiply the panel capacity by peak sun hours and you get a rough daily energy figure, which in many cases is enough to cover typical daily driving.
The consumption side
EVs are usually quoted in energy used per 100km. Most daily commutes need only a portion of a full charge, so a carport doesn’t have to power the whole battery every day, it only needs to replace what you drive. For average daily distances, a well-sized carport can supply a large share of that from the sun.
Timing matters
Solar generates during the day, while many people charge at night. There are three ways to bridge that: charge during the day where possible, add a battery to store daytime generation, or use the grid at off-peak rates to top up. A battery maximises how much of your driving runs on your own solar.
Sizing it for your driving
The right size depends on your car, your daily kilometres and when you can charge. We factor all of that into the design. See EV charging canopies and residential carports.