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Save Money Pairing Solar & EVs

October 1, 2026

Written by: Nicole Miller | Jake Evans

Need more incentive to invest in solar? The upfront cost can be daunting, but long-term pay-off is well worth it. Powering your home with solar will not only save you money on your utilities, and help stabilize your monthly bills, but it can also save you even more money when paired with an electric vehicle (EV).

How long does it take to pay off your electric car with your solar?

Not as long as you’d think.

A Nissan Leaf, which is one of the most popular EV’s, costs around $30,000. If you bought a brand-new Leaf and charged it using your home’s rooftop solar array, you could pay off the car in 10 years from the saving on gas alone.

How many solar panels do you need to charge your EV?

Assuming you’re powering a Tesla Model 3, which uses 250 watt hours per mile, and factoring for 15% loss, then you only need around 3.7kW (10 panels at 400w) of rooftop solar to charge your car. That’s also assuming you drive around 15,000 miles per year. If you drive less then you, of course, could get away with even less solar.

If you’re interested in adding solar to your home, but still want more information about cost-savings & financing, check out this list put together by Ecotech Solar.

If you’re interested in building or designing a home, we would love to connect with you! Give us a call at (360) 872-6814 or contact us here.

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