Solar power in electric vehicles drives demand

2022-11-08

Solar power in electric vehicles drives demand

About half of the wallboxes are integrated into solar systems, as a recent study shows. It also provides economic and political decision-makers with insights into the challenges of the market.

© BMS/Chargemondo
The expansion of the charging infrastructure must go faster. Solar energy can help as a market driver.
The market researchers from EUPD Research, together with the German Solar Industry Association (BSW Solar) and the Power2Drive trade fair, have investigated how electromobility affects the demand for solar systems. For this purpose, they surveyed a representative number of installers.
The results showed that more than 25 per cent of the wallboxes for charging EVs are installed together with solar systems and solar power storage units. Another quarter of the wallbox operators have integrated them into existing solar systems.

Solar power is more cost-effective power for cars

The study "Installation Radar Charging Infrastructure" fills a gap that other publications are currently unable to fill: It sheds light on the expansion of the infrastructure and the most important challenges associated with it from the point of view of the installers carrying out the work, explain the project partners.
See also: Paired Power unveils solar canopy for fast modular EV charging
After all, the expansion of the charging infrastructure is a business field of central importance for the solar industry. "Solar power from one's own house roof is already considered the more cost-effective available driving power. Solar energy and electromobility are therefore a dynamic dream team that is encouraging more and more people to switch to electric vehicles," says BSW CEO Carsten Körnig, describing the synergies between solar energy and electromobility.

Accelerating the expansion of the charging infrastructure

The installer survey provides both private-sector and political decision-makers with important insights into the challenges of the developing market. These include, for example, topics such as the procurement of components, distribution channels or vocational training.
Finally, the expansion of the charging infrastructure must continue to accelerate in order not to slow down the further demand for electric vehicles. "We need much more speed, especially in the expansion of the public charging infrastructure. Politicians should contribute to this by dismantling unnecessary market barriers and outdated bureaucracy, for example in tenders and calibration law," warns Körnig.

Factors for future business development

The results of the study also show which factors in this context are decisive for the future business development of installer companies and related trades. "These include the availability of the required components, fast delivery times, well-founded product information and product training, as well as an easy procurement system," knows Christine Koch of EUPD Research, who led the study.

Combination has arrived in the market

It is clear, however, that the combination of solar systems, storage units and wallboxes has already arrived on the market, as Martin Ammon, Managing Director of EUPD Research, explains with regard to the results of the study. "Consumers are banking on the fact that in the future they will be able to generate their electricity reliably and cost-effectively from solar energy, with additional solar power storage optimising the share of usable solar power for the electric vehicle," he emphasises.