by Michelle Lewis: San Francisco-headquartered Sunrun, the largest residential solar and battery storage installer in the US, has launched a new home electric vehicle (EV) charger…
Sunrun’s new home EV charger
Sunrun’s 40-amp Level 2 EV charger is compatible with all EV models. The charger also offers smart features that allow customers to configure charger settings and control charging.
Sunrun’s charger will be available next month in select California, New Jersey, and Vermont markets, and then it will be rolled out across the US by the end of the year as an optional add-on. Sunrun customers will be able to bundle it together with a rooftop solar plus battery storage system.
Home charging an EV can increase a home’s electricity usage by 50% or more per year, depending on how much driving and home charging the EV owner does. With 80% of EV charging done at home, and utility prices rising across the US, homeowners who buy into rooftop solar will be able to charge their EVs with solar power while also reaping the benefits of cheaper, more predictable energy rates.
Mary Powell, chief executive officer of Sunrun, said:
There is a strong correlation between EV ownership and solar adoption. People want to charge their vehicles with a clean, reliable energy source that’s cheaper than what they’re used to paying. As we work with customers to understand their energy needs, our new EV charger, coupled with our ability to potentially upsize home solar systems to meet those needs, position us nicely to help them future-proof their homes and provide peace of mind.
Sunrun is Ford’s recommended installer, and it’s also the biggest Tesla Powerwall certified installer.
Electrek’s Take
First, I am currently working with Sunrun to install rooftop solar and battery storage. I am not getting any discounts or deals. This EV charger announcement is so new that our rep didn’t even know about it when he came to see us last week.
You may be thinking, what’s the big deal about the launch of another Level 2 home charger? Well, it’s because it bundles solar and storage and EV charging together, making it much easier for people to electrify their homes. Sunrun isn’t the only company to do this, but it’s big, and it’s got Ford at its shoulder. Combine that with today’s announcement that Ford is reopening orders for its Lightning F-150 on Thursday, and that creates convenience. And we all know how much we Americans like convenience. Plus, Sunrun will presumably install the EV charger for you, so you don’t have to pay an electrician separately to hook it up to both your electrical panel and your Wi-Fi.
Personally, I find it interesting that Sunrun is choosing to roll out this charger in Vermont first, since those of us who are Green Mountain Power customers here in Vermont qualify for a free home Level 2 EV charger. So while I applaud Sunrun for this rollout and will be asking my Sunrun rep about the possibility, I’ll go with the cheapest and smoothest option, and installation costs will also factor in.
