Solar-Compatible EV Chargers for Smarter Home Charging

The value of solar diversion lies in the difference between what your panels generate and what you would otherwise pay to charge from the grid - but how much is captured depends on the overlap between solar generation and the hours your car is parked and plugged in.

A CT clamp at the main incomer measures instantaneous net power flow every second. When generation exceeds all household loads combined, the surplus that would otherwise travel to the grid is detected by the charger firmware, which ramps its current draw from the minimum 6A threshold upward to absorb it - maximising the proportion of solar captured in the vehicle. On sunny days with good generation and a parked vehicle, a meaningful portion of the day's charge can come from solar rather than the grid. EV charging performance and savings depend on the charger, vehicle, tariff, usage profile, solar generation and electrical infrastructure - we assess these factors before specifying equipment.

• Real-time CT monitoring: net power flow sampled every second at the incomer - charge rate adjusts within seconds of generation changing
• Minimum 6A threshold: charger maintains a trickle below which diversion cannot operate, so the vehicle continues to charge if plugged in
• Eco+ mode: charges exclusively from surplus PV - zero grid draw until solar surplus exceeds the 6A minimum, then ramps charge rate instantly
• Zero-carbon mileage: every kWh diverted from your panels instead of the grid eliminates the corresponding carbon cost from your vehicle's operation

A solar-diversion charger is not a binary on/off device. It offers a hierarchy of intelligent modes that give the homeowner complete control over the trade-off between green credentials and charging speed.

The Zappi's three charging modes span the full spectrum from pure solar to pure grid. In 100% Green (Eco+) mode, the charger draws only from confirmed surplus solar generation - it will not take a single watt from the grid, even if that means charging slowly on a partly cloudy afternoon. In Eco mode, the charger blends solar surplus with a minimum grid top-up to maintain a continuous charge session. In Fast mode, the charger draws at full 7kW from the grid when time is critical. All three modes are accessible from the myenergi app and can be scheduled automatically by time of day, generation forecast, or departure time.

• 100% Green (Eco+) mode: absolute zero grid draw - only genuine surplus solar powers the vehicle, regardless of how long charging takes
• Eco mode: blended mode combining solar surplus with minimum grid draw to keep charge sessions continuous on lower-generation days
• Fast mode: full 7kW grid draw when departure time demands a fully charged vehicle regardless of current generation
• App and schedule control: mode switching, charge targets and departure times managed from the myenergi app - no manual intervention at the charger required

When solar generation is insufficient - shorter winter days, overcast weather, or the vehicle arriving home after dark - a well-configured charger should switch automatically to off-peak grid charging rather than drawing at standard rates.

The Zappi can connect to smart tariff APIs such as Octopus Intelligent, which provide half-hourly pricing data in advance. The charger can then schedule overnight charging to coincide with the cheapest available windows. The resulting cost per kWh and overall savings depend on your tariff, vehicle, usage pattern and electrical setup - actual savings vary and we do not guarantee specific figures. We confirm the integration pathway for your specific hardware at survey stage and advise on realistic expectations. See also our battery-linked EV charging page for information on combining solar, battery and EV charging.

• Seamless seasonal transition: the charger switches between solar diversion and grid fallback based on live generation data - no manual setting changes required
• Smart tariff scheduling: off-peak windows used where a compatible tariff and API connection are configured
• Tariff compatibility: we confirm which tariffs and API integrations work with your specific charger and energy supplier at survey stage
• Year-round optimisation: solar covers charging when available; off-peak grid covers the remainder - the balance depends on your specific circumstances

A solar-diversion installation is technically more complex than a standard EV charger - it requires CT monitoring hardware at the incomer, a communication link to the charger, and dynamic load management to protect the main fuse across combined solar, EV and estate loads.

Where routing a CT data cable from the consumer unit through finished surfaces would compromise the property's aesthetic - period cornicing, oak flooring, or kitchen finishes - we deploy wireless CT hardware transmitting on a dedicated 868MHz radio frequency, eliminating the need for any additional conductor through the building fabric. Dynamic Load Balancing ensures the combination of solar generation, EV charging and all estate loads never exceeds the main fuse rating. DNO notification - required for any charger above 3.68kW on a PME supply - is submitted by our team on your behalf, with the reference number included in your handover pack.

• Wireless CT option: 868MHz radio-frequency consumption monitoring eliminates additional data cabling through finished building fabric
• Concealed wired CT route: where wireless is not optimal, CT cable routed through agreed concealed paths before charger installation
• Dynamic Load Balancing: combined solar, EV and estate load managed to protect the 100A main fuse at all times during simultaneous operation
• DNO notification management: G98 or G99 notification submitted by our team as a standard element of every installation - reference number in handover pack