Charging an EV on Tampa solar: does the math work?
An EV adds a large, schedulable load — which is exactly what a solar array wants. Here's how to size and schedule it.
An EV is the best load a solar owner can have, because you control when it runs.
Rough sizing
Most EVs travel roughly 3 to 4 miles per kilowatt-hour. So:
- 30 miles/day ≈ 8–10 kWh/day ≈ about 250–300 kWh/month
- In the Tampa area, a kilowatt of well-oriented rooftop solar produces roughly 120–140 kWh/month
That puts a typical 30-mile-a-day commute at roughly 2 to 2.5 kW of additional array — call it five to seven modules. Get your actual miles from the car's app before sizing; estimates from memory are always low.
Charge during the day if you can
Charging while the sun is up uses production directly. Overnight charging pulls from the grid and relies on billing credits to break even. If you work from home or the car sits in the driveway midday, set the schedule accordingly.
The electrical side
A Level 2 charger is a 240V circuit, commonly 40–60A. That requires a load calculation against your existing service. Combined with a solar interconnection, older 100A and 150A panels frequently need an upgrade — see our panel upgrade guide.
Load-managing chargers can sometimes avoid a service upgrade by throttling when the house draws heavily. That's worth pricing against the upgrade.
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Talk it through with a Tampa crew
Origin is a Tampa-based solar, roofing, battery and electrical contractor (Florida license EC13012465). Start with the quick questionnaire, read the Tampa solar install page, or book a consultation — in person, virtual, or a call back.
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