The NSW Rebate On Electric Cars & What It Means For Solar Households
The NSW government has announced that stamp duty will be abolished on electric vehicles, plus there will be a $3000 rebate to the first 25,000 EVs sold in NSW as part of an exciting $500 million plan to increase the uptake of battery-powered cars.
Stamp duty will be removed from electric vehicles that cost less than $78,000 by September this year, and a $3000 rebate given to the first 25,000 vehicles sold in NSW for under $68,000.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said: “We’re charging up the nation to make NSW the Norway of Australia when it comes to electric vehicles.”
There are some major differences between Norway and Australia, however, with Norway powered almost entirely by hydro-power, whereas NSW still relies heavily on coal and gas, despite the recent boom in renewable energy.
For NSW to successfully transition away from coal, gas and petrol-powered vehicles, solar power is going to have to play a major role, and well… luckily we get a little more sunshine here in NSW compared to Oslo and Bergen.
The All-Electric Lifestyle
Advancements in solar panel efficiency and battery storage over the past few years have led to a growing number of households already living what we call an ‘all-electric lifestyle’, combining a large solar system, a home battery and an electric vehicle.
To really maximise the benefit of a solar power system, 1KOMMA5° customers are adding Tesla Powerwall home batteries to store solar energy, and integrating an electric vehicle. By doing so, households can fully divest from the coal, gas, and oil industries.
It was recently estimated at an incredible 1 in 5 of all premature deaths are partially the result of air pollution, so a transition to EVs run on renewable energy is going to be a huge step forward for Australia’s health, and of course for the environment.
There is also a lot of talk at the moment around oil prices shooting back up to over $100 a barrel globally, and even the possibility of shortages in supply. One of the great things about investing in an all-electric lifestyle is to no longer worry about the price of petrol at the pump, and even blackouts can be a thing of the past thanks to the backup functionality of the Tesla Powerwall battery.
1KOMMA5° is excited to be leading Australia’s transition to renewable energy one household at a time, and in this guide, we’ll gather and answer the most commonly asked questions about the topic.
A Guide to Solar Power, Battery Storage & Electric Cars
How Many Panels are Needed on My Home to Provide Enough Energy for an Electric Vehicle?
First, we need to understand the usage of kilowatt-hours. This is different from a kilowatt. As with the ‘litre per 100km’ measurement which tells us the average amount of fuel used to drive a petrol car 100km, electric vehicles use a different unit of measure to show the distance they can travel on 1kWh.
Generally speaking, most EVs get around 6km of range per 1kWh of electricity they store in their battery pack, however, this figure can vary a lot. So, if Australian’s drive, on average, 50km each day, the EV would require around 8kWh of electricity to fully charge up the battery pack.
Around 3 x 390W solar panels will generate a daily average of 4kWh of electricity over a year, with more being generated in summer and less in winter. Therefore, installing about 6-7 solar panels (or 2kW of solar capacity) on your home should provide the 8kWh needed to charge up an electric vehicle that drives about 50km each day.
More detailed information on this is available here: How many solar panels to charge an EV?
When is the Best Time to Charge My Electric Car?
If you’re charging your EV using your rooftop solar panels, it’s easiest to have the vehicle plugged into the house during daylight hours when the sun is out. When the solar energy being produced is more than what you are using in the home, the excess solar power can be used to charge your vehicle.
Do remember, though, that if the solar energy being produced is less than the amount needed by the electric vehicle (for example, on a cloudy day), electricity from the grid will be used to top up the shortage. You will then need to check your energy tariffs as some households in Ausgrid pay different rates depending on the time of day:
Do I Need Battery Storage to Charge My EV at Night?
The answer is no; you don’t. It is not likely to be cost-efficient to use solar power to charge a home battery during daylight hours, and to then use this stored power to charge an EV at night. The main reason is that a lot of households have time-of-use energy tariffs where electricity is much cheaper overnight during the off-peak billing period compared to the shoulder and peak billing periods.
You’re likely to get better value using your solar power during the peak billing period, charging your battery, and then selling any excess solar-generated energy to the grid for a ‘feed-in tariff’, which is paid by your energy retailer as a credit on your power bill. More on time-of-use billing here…
Environmentally, charging your vehicle overnight with electricity that is off-peak, and selling your solar energy to the grid during daylight hours is a good choice. The surplus solar energy that you’re sending will offset electricity that is generated by fossil fuels.
What’s the Difference Between Level 1, 2 and 3 EV Charging?
The chargers used for electric vehicles are split into three different charging levels (‘levels’ 1, 2 and 3), and only ‘level 1’ charging uses the standard power point in your home.
‘Level 1’ charging uses your regular home power points but gives the slowest charging rate. It will give around 20km of range to an EV every hour (though this will depend on the vehicle), so 10 hours of charge from a ‘level 1’ charger overnight can provide about 200km of range to your vehicle.
Charging at ‘level 2’ means you will need a specialised EV charger installed in your house. This can provide over 40km of range each hour. It costs around $2,000 to get one installed (but can vary a lot), and there are many brands of electric vehicle chargers on the market. Note that your vehicle’s manufacturer might require you to have a level 2 charger to keep the car in warranty.
‘Level 3’ charging uses specific public charge points for rapid charging. The most famous example is probably Tesla SuperChargers. These are generally used by those travelling longer distances, or when batteries run out of charge en route. These rapid chargers can add a considerable 400km of range each hour.
However, not all electric cars are equipped to use the full output of the ‘level 3’ chargers. If you’re planning to go on a long trip using ‘level 3’ charge points, ensure that your vehicle is compatible.
Should I Choose Single-Phase or Three-Phase Power for My Newly Built Home?
Consider future-proofing your home and choose three-phase power. This will let you install a much larger solar array (10-15kW is the average for a new home) that provides a reliable amount of power to your home. Long term you are likely to have increased energy needs when you eventually incorporate a household battery and an electric vehicle (or two).
Why Does 1kWh of Solar Energy Not Mean 1kWh of EV Charge?
You may want to consider installing extra solar panels to meet your electricity requirements as efficiency losses can be higher than 10%. So, for example, around 900Wh of energy will reach your car’s battery pack if your panels produce 1kWh of electricity. This discrepancy is because of inefficiencies between inverters, your electric vehicle’s batteries, and the solar panels.
Charging Away from Home. How Should I Cope with “Range Anxiety”?
Unlike a petrol car, which can be refuelled at any petrol station in a matter of minutes, even an electric vehicle that is using a ‘level 3’ charger, can take an hour to be fully charged (and will take much longer using a ‘level 2’ or ‘level 1’ charging point).
‘Range anxiety’ encompasses the considerable length of time it takes to charge an electric car and the scarcity (at the moment) of ‘level 3’ rapid chargers. It is the fear that your vehicle won’t be able to charge fast enough to get to your destination as scheduled, or won’t have enough charge to get there.
However, ‘range anxiety’ fears can be blown out of proportion and for the daily commute it only takes a few days to work out good habits to know when and where to charge your car. More and more businesses are offering level 2 chargers for employees, as well as shopping centres, and car parks in general such as public playgrounds and sports grounds.
For longer trips, most cars now have trip planning functionality that helps you plan a longer trip with scheduled stops at recognised charging stations.
As long as you plan in advance and stick to the car’s suggested journey plan, it’s improbable you’ll be caught with a flat battery.
Caravan parks, service stations and shopping centres will typically provide ‘level 2’ charging if you get caught short.
Deciding on Solar Power for Your Electric Vehicle
When you’re thinking about the number of solar panels needed to support an electric vehicle, there are several factors you need to consider. These include:
The usual driving habits of the EV drivers, particularly the average daily distance you will drive
The make and specifications of your electric vehicle – Tesla batteries, for example, are far large than most other EVs
How much energy your household uses, and plans to use in the future
The fact that an average Australian EV requires around installed 2kW of solar power to counterbalance daily driving usages
After now having helped thousands of households prepare for an all-electric future with battery storage and EVs, we recommend households install around 10kWs of solar power as a minimum. Solar power is now so cheap that you can install a large system and still see a fast return on your money even if you send a lot of excess electricity to the grid. Even if you don’t install a battery right now, the feed-in tariff is still high than the cost per kWh of your solar system, so you can take your time and install a battery along with your new EV when you are ready.
1KOMMA5° is recognised as the number one solar power installer in Australia by the world’s leading solar companies including LG Solar and Enphase. We can help you install a quality solar system that is future proof, plus, if you are ready to take the plunge, we can help you with battery storage and the transition to living an all-electric lifestyle including a plug-in hybrid or electric car.
There are a lot of things to consider when investing in a larger solar system. Talk to The 1KOMMA5° Team today for personalised advice and pricing: