Charge On Sunshine: Tesla Embraces Home Solar

• Charge your 2021 or newer Tesla with excess solar energy, thanks to Tesla's new "Charge on Solar" feature, available in the U.S. and Canada. Learn more about the history of solar-powered vehicle charging and other solar-roofed vehicles.

Tesla has released a new feature which allows drivers with home solar and a Powerwall charger to exclusively charge their vehicle through excess solar energy. This feature, originally named “Drive on Sunshine”, is now known as “Charge on Solar” and is available in the U.S. and Canada to drivers with 2021 or newer Teslas. This development is part of a long history of solar-powered vehicle charging, dating back to GM’s Sunmobile in the 1950s. Several other companies have since developed solar-roofed vehicles though they are yet to be made widely available. Tesla’s Charge on Solar offers drivers another way to control and manage their electric vehicle recharging.

How Does Tesla's "Charge on Solar" Work?

How Does Tesla's "Charge on Solar" Work?

• Tesla’s "Charge on Solar" is a system that allows Tesla car owners to charge their vehicles with solar energy.
• The system works by connecting a solar array to the car’s onboard charger using a Tesla Wall Connector.
• The solar array produces DC electricity, which is then converted by the Tesla charger into AC power to charge the car’s battery.
• The solar system can be customized to fit the individual car owner’s needs, and can be configured to provide a certain amount of energy to be stored in the car’s battery for later use.
• The system also includes a monitoring system which allows the car owner to track the system’s performance and energy use.