Jan 25, 2019 | Community Solar News, EV Chargers, Solar Energy
When will EV’s Dominate California Roadways?
Registration figures published by the California New Car Dealers Association report that pure EV’s claimed 7.83% of market share for the second quarter, 2018. This is up from 3.3% in second quarter, 2017. Estimates show that EV’s will reach a 20% market share by the end of 2020, that’s more than 400,000 new EV sales in the next two years.
With California is moving forward on crafting new fuel economy rules for 2026 and beyond, with a goal to establish those new standards by June of 2020, we should see a continued demmand for EV’s.
Next 10, a think tank in San Francisco, estimates new EV sales will surpass 1.5 million by the year 2025 in California alone.
It’s often said that more vehicle models will boost EV sales, and historically that has proven to be true. According to the California New Car Dealers Association, new light truck sales surpassed new car sales in the state last year. This year, that gap widened — despite high gas prices.
The key going forward is that new EV models need to align with broader automotive industry trends if they’re going to break out of the early-adopter population. Specifically, there need to be more electric trucks, crossovers and SUVs.
Total cost of ownership is now in line with traditional gas vehicles. An analysis of 17 popular models found that EV’s can already be price-competitive without gevernment incentives. Based on 12,330 miles driven per year, the pure battery electric Nissan Leaf has a LOWER five-year and 10-year cycle cost of ownership than the internal combustion Hyundai Elantra and the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt, even without gevernment incentives.
If you’re thinking about buying an EV, we encourage homeowners to consider solar energy and a Level 2 charger. The solar tax credit will dropat the end of 2019, and energy rates are likely to sharply increase. Going solar and switching to an EV will not only significantly cut your carbon footprint, but also save you a lot of money. Call Solarponics for a free Solar PLUS Battery PLUS EV Charger quote today. (805) 466-5595.
Nov 14, 2018 | EV Chargers, Renewable Energy News, Solar Energy
Watts Up With Solar-Powered Cars?
Check out these two super cool solar-powered cars.
For years, the concept of solar-powered cars has loomed over the electric car industry as a hopeful, possible future. But there are many who argue that this concept is not only impractical, it is basically impossible.
But the innovators behind Lightyear One, a fully solar-powered vehicle to be released in 2019, just won an award for their design. Lightyear One, a car whose ability to use solar power has been thought of as an impossible feat, just won a Climate Change Innovator Award. Designed by the Dutch startup Lightyear, the “car that charges itself” can supposedly drive for months without charging and has a 400 – 800 km range.
German manufacturer Sono Motors is taking pre-orders for its Sion solar-powered car, with the vehicles due on Europe’s roads in 2019. Other manufacturers also have solar vehicles in development. Dutch Company Lightyear says the first deliveries of its own fully solar-powered car are scheduled for 2020, a year later than originally planned.
Both the Lightyear One and Sion vehicles are covered in solar panels that can either power the car directly, or charge the onboard battery.
End of the fill-up?
The batteries in the solar-powered cars offer a fairly standard range compared with other electric vehicles. The Sion has a 250km range, while the Lightyear One has a 400-600km range. By way of comparison, the Tesla Model S has a sector-leading range of more than 630km.
However, while you would need to recharge standard EVs at the end of their range, solar-powered cars could, in theory, go on and on. Even if the Sion’s battery was empty, its manufacturer says the car could drive 30km per day. Lightyear, meanwhile, says its car could run for months without being charged.
This could help overcome one of the biggest barriers to widespread EV adoption, the lack of charging points.
Bloomberg predicts that by 2022 EVs will cost the same as fossil fuel cars, helping kick-start a trend that could see them account for more than a third of global new vehicle sales by 2040.
Whether solar-power vehicles will join this affordability trend remains to be seen. The Lightyear One is currently being marketed at prices from $140,000, excluding taxes.
Sono’s Sion, on the other hand, is pitched to be more affordable, sitting within the market range for an average-price vehicle, which in the EU is currently around $25,000. The company is taking pre-orders for the vehicle at $18,800, plus a $4,700 rental charge for the battery.
Do you have an EV and are looking for a Level 2 EV Charger?
Sep 25, 2017 | EV Chargers, Learning Resources, Renewable Energy News, Solar Energy
In the market for an EV?
Here’s how to understand your energy fuel savings, and the true cost of charging your EV.
Example: If you buy a Nissan Leaf, charge at home, and drive 1,000 mi/ month, your electric bill will increase by $62/month in added use.
HERE’S HOW TO CALCULATE:
1. Start with the electric car’s energy consumption rate, which is expressed as kWh per 100 miles. The average is 31kWh/100 mi. All EV window stickers base the MPGe on a national average of 12¢ per kWh. DO NOT USE THIS number. It is not representative of what YOU will pay.
2. Then figure out what you pay for electricity. If you are a PG&E customer living in the central coast, your average cost per kWh for electricity to charge your EV is 20¢/kWh.
3. Multiply 20¢/kWh by the EV models stated kWh/100 miles.
The sum is your cost per 100 miles driven.
____________________________________________
CURRENT EV MODEL kWh/MILES:
Hyundai Electric = 25 kWh/100 mi
BMW i3 = 27 kWh/100 miles
Scion iQ = 28 kWh/100 miles
Chevy Bolt = 28 kWh/100 mi
Chevy Spark = 28 kWh/100 mi
VW eGulf = 28 kWh/100 mi
Honda Fit = 29 kWh/100 miles
Fiat 500e = 29 kWh/100 mi
Mitsubishi = 30 kWh/100 miles
Nissan Leaf = 31 kWh/100 mi AVERAGE
Ford Focus Electric = 32 kWh/100 mi
Smart ForTwo = 32kWh/100 mi
Kia Soul Electric = 32 kWh/100 mi
Tesla Model S = 32 kWh/100 mi
Mercedes B-Class Electric = 40 kWh/100 mi
Toyota Rav 4 EV = 43 kWh/100 mi
____________________________________________
LET’S CALCULATE.
The Nissan Leaf is rated at 31 kWh/100 miles.
Average kWh energy costs = 20¢
____________________________________________
31 x 20¢ = $6.20 per 100 mile charge
$6.20 / 100 miles = 6.2¢ per mile electric costs.
The Nissan Leaf costs 6.2¢/mile to drive.
____________________________________________
COMPARE TO A GAS VEHICLE.
Driving a gas vehicle that gets 21 MPG, with gas at $3.50/gallon, the gas vehicle costs 16.6¢ per mile to drive. Driven 1,000 miles/month, the gas vehicle costs $167/month in fuel costs.
Gas Vehicle = $ 167/month in fuel costs
Nissan Leaf EV = $62/month electricity costs
SAVINGS = $105/month
SAVINGS MORE WITH AN EV PLUS SOLAR
Here’s where solar PV and battery storage can really magnify your savings.
Solar electric currently costs less than 8¢ per kWh to generate,
well under the average utility rate of 20¢ per kWh.
____________________________________________
8¢ x 31 = $2.48 per 100 mile charge
$2.48 / 100 miles = 2.5¢ per mile electric costs.
____________________________________________
If you drive the average of 1,000 mi/month, the Nissan Leaf
will cost you $25/month in electricity.
____________________________________________
Gas Vehicle = $167/month fuel costs
Nissan Leaf EV w/ solar = $25/month electricity costs
SAVINGS = $142/month
