Combining Solar Panels with EV Chargers: A Step-by-Step UK Guide

Step 1 – Understand How a Solar EV Charger Works

Before you look at brands or costs, it helps to understand what a solar EV charger actually does differently from a standard unit. Once this is clear, the rest of the decisions, system size, battery, and installer, become much easier.

A solar EV charger integrates with your solar inverter so it can detect when you are producing excess solar. Instead of exporting unused energy to the grid at low SEG rates, the charger diverts it into your electric car.

What actually happens behind the scenes is simple:

• Your solar panels power your home’s immediate demand first
• Any remaining solar is diverted into EV charging
• The grid is only used when there isn’t enough solar available

That means you’re not just driving electricity, you’re driving on sunshine as often as possible, using power you’ve already generated.

Important takeaway: Not all EV chargers support solar-only or solar-priority modes. When comparing models, look specifically for terms like “solar EV charger”, “solar integration”, “solar divert” or similar modes in the product specs. A standard wallbox may charge your car, but it won’t optimise how your solar power is used.

Step 2 – Check Your Existing Solar System Capacity

Once you understand how a solar panel EV charger works, the next step is checking whether your current solar setup can realistically support EV charging. You don’t need a massive array, but system size and usage patterns do affect how much charging comes from solar rather than the grid.

As a rough guide, most UK homeowners can expect:

• 4kW system – light daily top-ups and occasional solar-only charges
• 5–6kW – meaningful daytime charging for regular use
• 7kW+ – strong year-round solar EV charging potential, especially in spring and summer

However, raw size isn’t everything. What often matters more is:

• Your roof direction and pitch
• Seasonal generation patterns
• How often do you drive
• Whether you can plug in during the day

If you’re at home frequently or work from home, you’ll naturally get more value from a solar-powered EV charger because more of your parking time lines up with solar production.

Step 3 – Choose the Right Hardware (NOT all chargers are equal)

Once you know your solar capacity, the next decision is choosing hardware that actually supports solar-first charging. This is where many homeowners go wrong by choosing the cheapest charger rather than the right solar EV charger in the UK for their system.

If you want true solar-priority charging, look for models specifically designed to work with solar, such as:

Key features to look for include:

• live solar monitoring modes
• battery compatibility and coordination
• load balancing to protect your main supply
• smart app control and scheduling
• over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates

A basic home EV charger might tick the “can it charge my car” box, but it won’t help you get the most from your solar generation. Choosing a proper solar EV charger ensures your system doesn’t just work, it works efficiently.

Step 4 – Understand UK Regulations & Safety Requirements

Once you’ve narrowed down the hardware, you need to consider something less exciting but absolutely critical: compliance. This is where the phrase “EV chargers England regulation change” starts to show up in searches, because rules have tightened around how EV chargers interact with the grid.

EV charger installation in the UK must follow key electrical safety and smart charging standards, including:

• Part P building regulations
• smart charging requirements
• appropriate load control and load management
• correct earthing and RCD/RCBO protection
• adherence to DNO notification or approval processes

Because regulations and guidance are evolving, especially around smart and grid-aware EV chargers, it’s vital that your ev charger installation is handled by certified professionals who understand both solar and EV systems.

Meaning: This is not a DIY job. Even if you’re practical and comfortable with electrics, a compliant solar EV charger installation needs a qualified installer to make sure it’s safe, future-proof, and correctly signed off.

Step 5 – Decide Whether You Need a Battery

Once regulations are clear in your mind, the next logical question is whether to add a home battery. A battery is not required for a solar EV charger to work, but it can make your setup more flexible and efficient, especially if you charge in the evenings.

A battery will:

• store unused solar during the day
• allow night-time charging powered by stored solar
• reduce winter reliance on peak grid rates
• smooth out cloudy days and variable generation

Without a battery, daytime charging is where a solar EV charger shines. You plug in when the sun is up, and your EV soaks up surplus solar.

With a battery, you can still benefit even if you’re out during the day. The system stores solar when you’re away and releases it later, meaning more of your mileage can be powered by energy from your roof rather than the grid.

Step 6 – Choose a Qualified Installer 

Before you even think about installation day, you need a reputable, properly certified installer, because a solar EV charger is NOT something you want fitted by a general electrician or a “side-hustle” installer. This system becomes part of your home’s electrical ecosystem, integrating with your inverter, your solar array, your consumer unit, and sometimes your battery. If the installation is done incorrectly, it can limit charging performance, trigger nuisance tripping, or even make future upgrades impossible.

How to verify a trustworthy installer:

• Check for OZEV, MCS, and NICEIC/NAPIT accreditation: These prove the installer meets UK EV and renewable energy safety standards.

   

• Ask whether they have experience with your specific inverter brand: Solar EV chargers rely on accurate communication between inverter → charger.

   

• Request examples of past solar + EV charger installations: Not just EV chargers alone.

   

• Make sure they offer load management solutions: This is essential for homes with older consumer units.

   

• Confirm they can assess battery compatibility and advise on future upgrades.

   

Why Solar4Good?

Solar4Good is fully certified to install solar EV chargers, solar systems, and battery storage as one integrated package. Our engineers understand how these technologies interact, not just electrically, but practically, so your system works smoothly from day one. We handle compliance, design, and commissioning, ensuring safe installation that meets current UK regulations and upcoming smart-charging requirements.

Working with the right installer ensures your charger isn’t simply “added on,” but seamlessly integrated into your home’s energy network for maximum efficiency.

Step 7 – Installation Day: What to Expect & What to Look Out For

Once you’ve chosen a qualified installer, installation day should feel straightforward, transparent, and well-coordinated. A proper solar EV charger installation follows a predictable process, but it’s still important for homeowners to know what to look for so nothing gets missed.

Bonus Tip: Ask your installer to explain how adding a battery later will affect your charger. A good system design should leave room for future upgrades, without needing expensive rewiring.

What Costs Should You Expect in the UK?

By this stage, you know what you need and how it all fits together, so the final practical question is cost. For most homeowners, a typical EV charger installation cost in the UK ranges from £900–£1,200 installed, depending on cable run, consumer unit upgrades, and any load-management equipment.

A solar-compatible model may cost slightly more than a standard charger, but in many cases it pays for itself more quickly, because you:

• use more of your own solar
• buy less grid power at peak rates
• reduce long-term running costs

If you’re adding solar and an EV charger together, a combined design can also keep installation work efficient, rather than paying for separate upgrades later.