How much will an EV + solar save you?

Solar yield is from SAURAN + NREL irradiance data averaged across each city. Petrol and electricity prices are pulled live from our rates.json (auto-updated monthly from official DMPR announcements). EV consumption is WLTP cycle adjusted up 10% for SA highway speeds. Solar installation cost: ~R17,000/kW turnkey including inverter and mounting (May 2026 SA installer market average). Battery: ~R8,500/kWh installed for LiFePO4. Real quotes vary 15-25% in either direction — use the lead form below for an actual installer quote.

Counter-intuitive but true: Cape Town gets ~25% more usable solar yield per panel than JHB despite JHB's "highveld sunshine" reputation. Reason: CT has clearer skies in summer (less afternoon thunderstorm cloud) and longer effective daylight hours. JHB summer storms cut daily yield by 30-40% on cloudy afternoons. Annual averages: CT ~1,850 kWh/kW, JHB ~1,750 kWh/kW. Bloemfontein actually beats both at ~1,900 kWh/kW (cold but very sunny).

For pure cost optimisation: solar alone is usually better value. Batteries add R80-110k for ~10 kWh and the math depends heavily on your time-of-use tariff. For load-shedding insurance and energy independence: yes, the battery is worth it — and an EV's own battery (typically 30-60 kWh) does most of the work, so you only need a small home battery (5-10 kWh) for essential household loads.

Yes — and it's the simplest setup. With a smart charger that monitors solar production, the car only draws power from the grid when solar is producing more than the house needs. You charge during the day (parked at home, work-from-home pattern fits perfectly). For people who only park overnight, you'd either need a battery or accept that your nighttime charging is from the grid (still cheaper than petrol either way).

Vehicle-to-home is real but not widely deployed in SA yet. BYD Dolphin and Atto 3 support it via VtoL adapter (~R12-15k). Once configured, your EV's 30-60 kWh battery becomes a giant home backup. Most SA buyers don't bother yet — too new, installer support is limited — but it's coming. We can include this in a custom quote if you ask.