Sunrun partners with Enel X Way to offer home EV charging stations

Enel X Way and Sunrun, a major residential solar provider, announced the two have partnered to offer Enel X Way’s Level 2 EV charging stations. The co-branded EV charger joins Sunrun’s rooftop residential solar and battery energy storage offerings.

The partnership will result in EV owners being able to charge their vehicles with their own locally-produced clean energy. Enel X Way’s level 2 chargers are grid-connected, meaning they use off-peak and automated charging to help balance the grid, delivering energy cost savings that allow EV owners to boost the value of their investments.

A study by SolarReviews found home solar energy is cheaper and greener than pulling your EV’s power from the grid. Grid-sourced energy can range from $.10 to $.40 per kWh, and averages about $.13 per kWh, while the levelized cost of energy for home solar across the country landed at $.11 per kWh, according to SolarReviews. Both of these options are significantly cheaper than a public charger, which ranges from $.28 to $.69 per kWh.

From a carbon standpoint, home solar performs the best as well, reported SolarReviews. Home solar has an implied emission of 368 pounds of carbon dioxide per 3,780 kWh, while grid power and EV chargers stand at 1,531 pounds, and 450 gallons of gasoline (an equivalent to 3,780 kWh) would emit a whopping 8,830 lbs. of CO2.

“EV owners want to charge their vehicles with a more cost effective, clean, and reliable energy source —saving money and time with home charging convenience,” said Mary Powell, CEO of Sunrun.

The co-branded EV charging stations are available now in select markets, including California, New Jersey and Vermont, and are expected to be available nationwide by the beginning of 2023.

“With one-third of Enel X Way EV charger owners using solar to power their homes, there’s no denying the strong correlation between solar adopters and EV owners,” said Chris Baker, head of Enel X Way North America. “Not only does this partnership mark a pivotal convergence between two adjacent industries, the ability to combine efforts and use solar energy to power charging also furthers our progress toward national decarbonization targets. We’re honored to partner with Sunrun to offer an affordable, smart EV charging solution for climate-conscious customers.”

Electric vehicle decade

Over 26.4 million electric vehicles may be on the road in the U.S. by 2030, according to Edison Electric Institute, and BloombergNEF predicts as many as 21.7 million private EV chargers will be needed to meet that demand.

In February, the US announced a $5 billion plan to build electric vehicle charging stations across the country. The funds come as part of the $7.5 billion approved for EV charging as part of the bipartisan infrastructure bill. The network of chargers will be built in “Alternative Fuel Corridors”, some 165,000 miles of national highway spanning 49 states.

The Inflation Reduction Act will also support EV adoption. It extended a $7,500 tax credit for new EV purchases for 10 years, and a new $4,000 credit for the sale of used EVs. The federal tax credit on charging equipment has also been extended through 2032. For residential customers, the tax credit is 30% of the cost of equipment, up to $1,000.