Showing New Zealand · real 2026 prices

How much does charging from solar save you?

Charging your EV from rooftop solar is about the cheapest way to fuel a car. See what charging from your own panels saves each year — versus the grid and versus fuel.

Your driving & solar

Adjust to match your setup.

+
⚡ Electric & solar
+
+
Some (30%) Most (60%) Nearly all (90%)
c/kWh
Mixed (25) Flat (33) Peak (40)
c/kWh
Solar isn't quite free — this is the export credit you forgo.
AUD
⛽ Petrol / Diesel
+
+
Petrol Diesel

Your yearly numbers

You'd save vs fuel
$1,520
a year, charging mostly from solar
Fuel cost / year
$337
Extra saved by solar
$349
Cost per 100km
$2.59
Setup payback
5.7 yrs
☀ Solar mix $337 ⚡ All grid $686 ⛽ Fuel $1,853
🌿 CO₂ avoided vs petrol ~1.8 t / yr

Estimate only. "Fuel cost" values solar charging at the feed-in credit you give up. Real savings depend on when you charge, your tariff and how much solar you can divert to the car.

Advertisement — ad unit goes here once approved

How we work it out

Transparent maths you can trust — every figure is yours to change.

We split your charging between solar and the grid by the percentage you set. Solar is valued at the export credit you give up by using it yourself; grid energy at your standard rate. The saving versus all-grid charging is what solar buys you; payback divides setup cost by that yearly saving. CO₂ counts only the grid share. Defaults reflect NZ figures. Estimates only, not financial advice.

Is it worth charging an EV from solar in New Zealand?

With plenty of sunshine and rising solar uptake, charging from your own panels is well worth it.

Because export ("buy-back") rates are usually well below what you pay for grid power, using your own daytime solar to charge instead of exporting it is worth the difference. Output peaks in summer and around midday, so a charger on a timer helps you catch it. Set your solar share, buy-back and grid rates, and setup cost above to see the payback.