EV Charger + Home Battery: Smart Charging with Solar Power

Why combine EV charging and a home battery?

An increasing number of Dutch households have both solar panels and an electric car. The logical next step is a home battery to optimally connect the two. Why? Because your EV is typically parked at home in the evening or at night for charging — precisely when your solar panels are no longer producing.

With a home battery, you store the surplus solar power during the day and use it in the evening to charge your car. The result: free driving on solar power. In this article, we explain how it works, what it costs, and how much you can save.

How does the combination work?

The system works as follows:

• During the day: your solar panels generate electricity. Whatever you do not use directly goes to the home battery.
• Late afternoon: the battery is full. Any additional surplus is exported to the grid.
• Evening: you arrive home and plug in your EV. The home battery supplies power to the charging station.
• Night: once the battery is empty, the system switches to grid power. With a dynamic tariff contract, you then charge at the lowest overnight rates.
• Smart management: the energy management system automatically distributes the available power across the household, battery, and charging station.

Load balancing: smart distribution

A crucial aspect of the EV + home battery combination is load balancing. Your household connection (typically 1x25A or 3x25A) has a limited capacity. If you are simultaneously cooking, running the washing machine, and charging your EV, you could trip the fuse.

Dynamic load balancing

Smart charging stations measure in real time how much power your household is consuming and automatically adjust the EV's charging power. When you are cooking (3 kW), the charger reduces from 7.4 kW to 4.4 kW. The home battery can provide additional power as a buffer, so your EV charges faster.

Solar charging mode

Many smart charging stations offer a solar charging mode: the EV charges exclusively on solar power. Combined with a home battery, this becomes even more effective: the battery absorbs fluctuations (clouds) so the charging process is not constantly interrupted.

How much do you save?

The savings depend on your driving habits, the number of solar panels, and the battery capacity. Here is a realistic overview:

With the combination of solar panels, home battery, and EV charging, you save up to €1,300 per year on charging costs. The home battery contributes by making solar power available at the moment your car arrives home.

Choosing the right setup

For an optimal EV + home battery setup, we recommend the following:

• Battery capacity: at least 10 kWh if you drive 30+ km daily. A full car charge requires 15–30 kWh, so you need sufficient buffer to also power your household.
• Solar panels: at least 14–20 panels (6–8 kWp) to generate enough surplus for both home and car.
• Smart charger: choose a charging station with dynamic load balancing and solar charging mode (e.g. Easee, Alfen, or Wallbox).
• Dynamic tariff contract: for nights and cloudy days when you still need grid power.

Real-world example

Take a family with 16 solar panels (6.4 kWp), an Anker SOLIX X1 with 10 kWh battery, and an electric car that drives 15,000 km per year. Annual production is approximately 5,600 kWh. The household consumes 3,500 kWh and the car 3,000 kWh (6,500 kWh total). Without a battery, 60% of the solar power would be exported to the grid.

Conclusion

The combination of an EV charger and home battery is one of the most profitable energy setups you can achieve as a homeowner. You drive largely on free solar power, save up to €1,300 per year on charging costs, and are less dependent on the energy grid.

Want to know which home battery best suits your EV setup? Request free advice or browse our high-capacity batteries.