Solar · big loads
How many solar panels to charge an EV?
An EV uses about 8.14 kWh a day, driving 22 miles a day (the U.S. average per driver, FHWA 2022) at 370 Wh a mile from the wall (EPA ratings, charging losses included). On a grid-tied home system that’s about 2,971 kWh a year: 2.02 kW, or 6 × 400 W panels in Tennessee (the middle state for sunshine). Off-grid with a battery it takes about 3,960 W of panels to keep up in December, the worst month, plus a 9,580 Wh battery.
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Can a panel and battery keep it going where you are?
Your situation: powering an EV with solar. Different situation?
Your battery and panel
Where and how
By state
Grid-tied covers its yearly use on a home system; off-grid sizes the panels for the worst month (85% charging and 85% inverter losses).
EV: panels in every state
| State | kWh a year | Grid-tied, 400 W panels | Off-grid, worst month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 2,971 | 5 | 3,570 W |
| Alaska | 2,971 | 7 | 17,300 W |
| Arizona | 2,971 | 4 | 2,570 W |
| Arkansas | 2,971 | 5 | 3,550 W |
| California | 2,971 | 5 | 2,980 W |
| Colorado | 2,971 | 5 | 2,820 W |
| Connecticut | 2,971 | 6 | 3,990 W |
| Delaware | 2,971 | 6 | 3,840 W |
| District of Columbia | 2,971 | 6 | 3,680 W |
| Florida | 2,971 | 5 | 3,010 W |
| Georgia | 2,971 | 5 | 3,430 W |
| Hawaii | 2,971 | 5 | 2,990 W |
| Idaho | 2,971 | 5 | 5,110 W |
| Illinois | 2,971 | 6 | 4,760 W |
| Indiana | 2,971 | 6 | 4,960 W |
| Iowa | 2,971 | 6 | 4,480 W |
| Kansas | 2,971 | 5 | 3,400 W |
| Kentucky | 2,971 | 6 | 4,530 W |
| Louisiana | 2,971 | 5 | 3,420 W |
| Maine | 2,971 | 6 | 4,450 W |
| Maryland | 2,971 | 6 | 3,810 W |
| Massachusetts | 2,971 | 6 | 4,170 W |
| Michigan | 2,971 | 6 | 6,220 W |
| Minnesota | 2,971 | 6 | 4,920 W |
| Mississippi | 2,971 | 5 | 3,530 W |
| Missouri | 2,971 | 5 | 3,780 W |
| Montana | 2,971 | 6 | 5,040 W |
| Nebraska | 2,971 | 5 | 3,840 W |
| Nevada | 2,971 | 4 | 2,690 W |
| New Hampshire | 2,971 | 6 | 4,200 W |
| New Jersey | 2,971 | 6 | 4,010 W |
| New Mexico | 2,971 | 4 | 2,490 W |
| New York | 2,971 | 6 | 3,930 W |
| North Carolina | 2,971 | 5 | 3,360 W |
| North Dakota | 2,971 | 6 | 5,110 W |
| Ohio | 2,971 | 6 | 5,520 W |
| Oklahoma | 2,971 | 5 | 3,190 W |
| Oregon | 2,971 | 6 | 6,880 W |
| Pennsylvania | 2,971 | 6 | 4,170 W |
| Rhode Island | 2,971 | 6 | 3,920 W |
| South Carolina | 2,971 | 5 | 3,260 W |
| South Dakota | 2,971 | 5 | 4,080 W |
| Tennessee | 2,971 | 6 | 3,960 W |
| Texas | 2,971 | 5 | 3,440 W |
| Utah | 2,971 | 5 | 4,200 W |
| Vermont | 2,971 | 6 | 6,330 W |
| Virginia | 2,971 | 5 | 3,420 W |
| Washington | 2,971 | 6 | 7,860 W |
| West Virginia | 2,971 | 6 | 5,030 W |
| Wisconsin | 2,971 | 6 | 5,030 W |
| Wyoming | 2,971 | 5 | 3,370 W |
Where these figures come from
- Energy per mile: fueleconomy.gov (EPA) ratings (fetched 2026-11-05), median of the 321 model-year 2026 EV versions rated: 37.1 kWh per 100 miles (10th–90th percentile 29.0–44.6); not weighted by sales. EPA: “The recharge energy includes any losses due to inefficiencies of the manufacturer’s charger.” (EPA test procedure (fetched 2026-11-05)).
- Second source: Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption ratings (fetched 2026-11-05), model year 2024: median 37.8 kWh per 100 miles (175 versions).
- Miles a day: FHWA 2022 National Household Travel Survey (fetched 2026-11-05), average daily vehicle miles per driver 21.84. Change it to yours.
- Charging power: DOE Alternative Fuels Data Center (fetched 2026-11-05) (Level 1 about 1.9 kW; most home Level 2 chargers 7.2 kW). Cross-check: EIA RECS 2020 homes that charge an EV at home used 2,363 kWh a year for it on average (RECS microdata (fetched 2026-11-05)).
FAQ
How many solar panels to charge an EV?
An EV uses about 8.14 kWh a day, driving 22 miles a day (the U.S. average per driver, FHWA 2022) at 370 Wh a mile from the wall (EPA ratings, charging losses included). On a grid-tied home system that’s about 2,971 kWh a year: 2.02 kW, or 6 × 400 W panels in Tennessee (the middle state for sunshine). Off-grid with a battery it takes about 3,960 W of panels to keep up in December, the worst month, plus a 9,580 Wh battery.
How many kWh does an EV use?
About 8.14 kWh a day and 2,971 kWh a year, driving 22 miles a day (the U.S. average per driver, FHWA 2022) at 370 Wh a mile from the wall (EPA ratings, charging losses included). Yours depends on the model and how you use it.
Does the EPA figure include charging losses?
Yes. EPA’s test procedure says: “The recharge energy includes any losses due to inefficiencies of the manufacturer’s charger.” So we don’t add a separate loss on top.
Sources and assumptions
- Solar output (kWh per kW of panels, by month): Global Solar Atlas 2.0, long-term averages to 2025 (data version 2.2.68, updated 2026-04-01), for crystalline-silicon panels facing south at the best fixed tilt, after typical system losses. Data obtained from the “Global Solar Atlas 2.0, a free, web-based application is developed and operated by the company Solargis s.r.o. on behalf of the World Bank Group, utilizing Solargis data, with funding provided by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). For additional information: https://globalsolaratlas.info” Licensed CC BY 4.0; we rounded and combined it as described here. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Solargis or the World Bank Group.
- State figure: population-weighted average of the state’s three largest cities (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates; coordinates from the 2020 Census Gazetteer). Hawaii and DC use one city.
- Cross-check: NASA POWER sunshine climatology (2001–2025), tilted with a standard isotropic-sky model × 0.80. States more than 12% apart were reviewed by hand; the gaps are explained on our methodology page.
- Home use: EIA Table 5A, 2024 average monthly residential kWh by state. Rates: EIA Electric Power Monthly, August 2026.
- Tax credit: IRS FAQ on the One, Big, Beautiful Bill (FS-2025-05, Aug. 21, 2025).
- Assumptions: 85% charging efficiency into a battery, 85% from battery to appliance, panel counts rounded up, off-grid sizing for the worst month.