Do solar and batteries help with fleet charging?

They help most when vehicles are parked in daylight, or when a battery keeps your site under its demand peak. Vans that are out all day won't charge straight from solar.

When solar helps

• Vehicles that are parked at your site during the day
• Sites with spare solar that would otherwise be exported for a low rate
• Workplaces where staff vehicles can charge during work hours

When a battery helps

• It can store daytime solar for charging at night, although this costs more than using solar directly
• It can supply chargers during the peak price window, which can reduce a demand charge
• It can reduce the need for a supply upgrade on a tight site

What it means for cost

Our calculators use 5c/kWh for solar and battery as a starting assumption, and you can change it. Depending on your system, your real figure may be higher.

Each site is different, so this is worth modelling properly. Feasibility studies start at $1,000.