Has anyone built a standalone solar garage charging setup for their EV or hybrid — completely independent from the house?
I’ve been thinking about this for a while and can’t find anyone who’s done it simply and cheaply.
The idea is: solar panels on a garage roof (around 9–10m²), feeding into a battery storage unit kept in the garage, which then charges the car via a Type 2 charger whenever it’s plugged in. Completely self-contained — no connection to the house, no grid tie-in, no electrician drama.
I drive a hybrid and the amount I spend topping up either at public chargers or on petrol for short journeys feels like it should be avoidable on sunny days.
I’ve done rough numbers and a 2kW setup could generate around 1,700 kWh a year in the UK — worth £400–£1,000 depending on whether you’re replacing public charging or petrol.
Has anyone actually done this? What components did you use? And does anyone know if there’s a decent affordable kit available in the UK for this, because I can’t find one