EV drivers more likely to have solar panels on their homes

Research from Zap-Map and Good Energy shows that electric vehicles (EVs) can be a gateway to a fully clean energy powered life, but the up-front costs for energy tech remains a barrier for many.

EVs – a gateway to other clean energy tech

An annual survey of over 4,000 EV drivers by Zap-Map has revealed that 29% of respondents have solar panels installed at home, seven times the 4.1% national average.

The findings also revealed that more than one in 10 EV drivers also have a home battery to store electricity. The high uptake of solar indicates that nearly a third of EV drivers are able to use the power of the sun to charge at home for free, despite the recent increases to electricity prices by both energy suppliers and public EV charge point operators.

EV drivers are also 20% more likely than average to have a smart meter. 72% of EV drivers have embraced this critical tech for flexible tariffs, keeping close track of the energy they use and what they share back to the grid, compared to the 50% average.

Another piece of clean energy tech EV drivers are seven times as likely to have is a heat pump. Around 7% heat their homes with electricity via the ground or an air source heat pump, much higher than 1% of all UK households.

Up-front costs remain a barrier

Corresponding research from Good Energy across all UK households highlights that up-front costs for clean tech is the main hurdle for homeowners. Installation costs were the most commonly cited barrier for people getting heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage – 64%, 54% and 42% respectively.

The clean tech company, which is a partner of Zap-Map, plans to help tackle this problem with low-cost financing and bundling with its 100% renewable electricity tariffs.

Good Energy customer, Diane from north Lancashire says, “We have solar panels, and have an EV with a home charger that is solar-matched. So, when we are generating electricity, it goes directly to charge the car for free. It saves us so much money with the extortionate price of petrol currently and feels like the right thing to do.”

Melanie Shufflebotham, COO and Co-founder of Zap-Map says, “A gateway to clean energy is a great way of thinking about EVs. As soon as you change the energy you use to fuel your vehicle, you start thinking about the energy you use elsewhere in your life. Then you realise you can reduce your running costs with solar panels too. That said, the up-front costs of the tech does highlight once again the gap between wealthier homeowners with off-street parking and those without a driveway or are just not as well off. Which is why we need more affordable on-street or local charging options.”

Nigel Pocklington, CEO of Good Energy and Chair of Zap-Map says, “Once you’ve got one foot into the clean energy life you only want to go further. Once you get a heat pump, you want to run it on renewable energy. If you get solar panels, you can charge your electric car for free. We know Good Energy customers are motivated to be greener, but the price has to be right too, and our research shows that up-front costs are a barrier for lots of people. We are trying to make that less of a hurdle by bundling the services together and smoothing out the costs with financing. We will soon be offering energy tariffs that aren’t just paying for the energy you use, they’re paying for your heat pump or solar panels, and even paying you back for energy you generate and share.”