{"id":20139,"date":"2021-04-21T15:41:17","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T05:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/au.myenergi.com\/?post_type=guides&#038;p=20139"},"modified":"2023-06-20T20:29:04","modified_gmt":"2023-06-20T10:29:04","slug":"solar-charger-the-ultimate-guide","status":"publish","type":"guides","link":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/guides\/solar-charger-the-ultimate-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I charge my electric car for free?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div id='block-header-basic-block_641ad062b4858fef19d547a30b134a53'  class='flexi-block header-basic-block pt-8 lg:pt-16 pb-0 relative '>\n\n\n    <div class=\"relative \">\n\t\n\t<div class=\"container flex flex-col mx-auto    justify-end py-11 md:py-9 lg:py-11 \">\n\t\t<div class=\"first-mt-0 \">\n                            <h1 class=\"h2 lg:h3 !mb-0\">\n                    Can I charge my electric car for free?                <\/h1>\n                    <\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"relative flex flex-wrap justify-between w-full mx-auto\">\n    <div class=\"w-full py-5 breadcrumbs\">\n        <nav aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\" class=\"rank-math-breadcrumb\"><p><span class=\"last\">Home<\/span><\/p><\/nav>    <\/div>\n<\/div>\t\t\t<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id='block-fifty-fifty-img-txt-full-width-block_84445cc739cbb6209bf0ed29f0ad9432'  class='bg-greylight flexi-block fifty-fifty-img-txt-full-width-block pt-0 pb-8 lg:pb-16'>\n\t<div class=\"relative z-10 flex flex-wrap w-full max-w-3xl m-auto  flex-col-reverse lg:flex-row image-left\">\n\n        \n            <div class=\"w-full pt-20 img-wrapper lg:w-1\/2 image-left lg:pt-0 \">\n                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi.png\" class=\"w-full h-full load-hidden hidden lg:block object-cover \" alt=\"\" style=\"opacity: 1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi.png 960w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-330x330.png 330w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-250x250.png 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi.png\" class=\"w-full h-full load-hidden block lg:hidden object-cover \" alt=\"\" style=\"opacity: 1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi.png 960w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-330x330.png 330w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/energy-suppliers-myenergi-zappi-250x250.png 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/>\n            <\/div>\n\n        \n        \n            <div class=\"container flex items-center justify-center mx-auto lg:w-1\/2 pt-20 lg:py-30 2xl:py-75\">\n                <div class=\"w-full lg:max-w-[27rem] xl:max-w-md first-mt-0 px-2.5 lg:px-0 last-mb-0 content-wrapper load-hidden\">\n                    <h5 class=\"h3  text-left  \">Driving by the power of sunshine&#8230;<\/h5>\n<h2 class=\"h5  text-left  \">What is a solar charger?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"hide-focus-ring cbphWd match-mod-horizontal-padding\" data-kt=\"Ki7_mLiQlJWbtyeczeCxzZHit3WF5--wxcLfowyWmLLF2bbxlzHIhv3i8pmz4pgB\" data-hveid=\"CCAQAw\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjW1LvXzuHtAhWEi1wKHTn3CIwQuk4oAHoECCAQAw\"><a href=\"https:\/\/myenergi.com\/nz\/zappi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">zappi<\/a>\u00a0is the world\u2019s first solar charger, invented by Robin Richard and\u00a0Lee Sutton who introduced this pioneering technology and greatly influenced many similar products that followed. zappi works with our without solar panels (PV), but for those with them installed, it can harness the power of the sun. You will be able to utilise the various ECO settings, which will allow you to use self-generated energy, to charge your electric vehicle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"hide-focus-ring cbphWd match-mod-horizontal-padding\" data-kt=\"Ki7_mLiQlJWbtyeczeCxzZHit3WF5--wxcLfowyWmLLF2bbxlzHIhv3i8pmz4pgB\" data-hveid=\"CCAQAw\" data-ved=\"2ahUKEwjW1LvXzuHtAhWEi1wKHTn3CIwQuk4oAHoECCAQAw\">Solar is transforming the prospects of the transportation industry for which railroads, subways, buses, planes, cars and even roads can utilise this amazing technology to both save money and better the planet. It\u2019s a \u2018win win\u2019 solution.<\/p>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n        \n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"block-fifty-fifty-img-txt-block_6046508f447c51e1df5d204b2fac86b1\"  class=\"bg-white flexi-block fifty-fifty-img-txt-block  \">\n\t<div class=\"container relative z-10 flex flex-wrap justify-center pb-0 mx-auto pt-8 lg:pt-16 pb-8 lg:pb-16 \">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap w-full justify-center lg:justify-between items-center    lg:flex-row-reverse\">\n\n            \n                <div class=\"w-full load-hidden image-wrapper lg:w-1\/2 md:max-w-[500px] lg:max-w-none  xl:pl-3.9\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-1024x1024.png\" class=\"w-full rounded-2.5xl\" alt=\"\" style=\"opacity: 1\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-768x767.png 768w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-1536x1534.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-330x330.png 330w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-600x599.png 600w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1-250x250.png 250w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/myenergi-home-ev-charging-zappi-1.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>                <\/div>\n\n            \n            \n                <div class=\"w-full self-center lg:w-1\/2 md:max-w-[500px] lg:max-w-none lg:pr-20 2xl:pr-45 pt-12 lg:pb-0 load-hidden content-wrapper\">\n                    <div class=\"w-full first-mt-0 last-mb-0 \">\n                        <h5 class=\"h3  text-left  \">How does a solar charger work?<\/h5>\n<h3 class=\"h5  text-left  \">Charge your EV, with your PV\u2026<\/h3>\n<div class=\"col-12 sm-col-7 md-col-5\">\n<p>The amount of electricity solar panels produce is constantly fluctuating depending on the quality, brightness and length of daylight available. There is a misconception that solar panels require direct sunlight, and although they would naturally work better when the sun is gleaming and the sky is blue, solar panels are more reliant on the photons present in natural daylight, which means even on an overcast day at the height of spring and summer, you\u2019d expect an ample level of generation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 sm-col-7 md-col-5\">\n<p>In fact, we tend to spend more time outside in the summer and use far less electricity, for which there tends to be a large amount of surplus energy generated. In most cases that surplus energy is pumped back into the grid and somebody else would utilise that extra power you\u2019ve generated, however, if you have a diverter such as the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/myenergi.com\/nz\/eddi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">eddi<\/a>\u00a0and an eco-smart car charger such as the zappi, you are able to utilise this surplus energy by instead diverting it into charging your electric vehicle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div id=\"block-fifty-fifty-img-txt-block_d76def45226687b03c22fbf2ae34b6c5\"  class=\"bg-white flexi-block fifty-fifty-img-txt-block  \">\n\t<div class=\"container relative z-10 flex flex-wrap justify-center pb-0 mx-auto pt-8 lg:pt-16 pb-8 lg:pb-16 \">\n        <div class=\"flex flex-wrap w-full justify-center lg:justify-between items-center    \">\n\n            \n                <div class=\"w-full load-hidden image-wrapper lg:w-1\/2 md:max-w-[500px] lg:max-w-none  xl:pr-3.9\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image-5-1024x1024.png\" class=\"w-full rounded-2.5xl\" alt=\"\" style=\"opacity: 1\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image-5-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image-5-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image-5-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image-5-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image-5-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image-5-250x250.png 250w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/05\/MicrosoftTeams-image-5.png 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>                <\/div>\n\n            \n            \n                <div class=\"w-full self-center lg:w-1\/2 md:max-w-[500px] lg:max-w-none lg:pl-20 2xl:pl-45 pt-12 lg:pt-0 load-hidden content-wrapper\">\n                    <div class=\"w-full first-mt-0 last-mb-0 \">\n                        <h3 class=\"h3  text-left  \">Use surplus energy to charge your car for free<\/h3>\n<div class=\"col-12 sm-col-7 md-col-6 col\">\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>The zappi is clever enough to communicate with your PV system via a little device called harvi, which acts as a messenger by sensing and communicating import and export data to other myenergi devices. Those devices can then shout \u201chang on, don\u2019t fire my excess energy back out to the grid, i\u2019ll use it instead\u201d. zappi happens to use this surplus energy to charge your vehicle whereas eddi, would use it to instead heat your water. How the energy is used by the zappi is determined by your requirements and preference, via the mode you select.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n<div id='block-fifty-fifty-img-txt-full-width-block_1c9832dff87de7914b789a88c7e66a98'  class='bg-greydark invert-text-color flexi-block fifty-fifty-img-txt-full-width-block pt-8 lg:pt-16 pb-0'>\n\t<div class=\"relative z-10 flex flex-wrap w-full max-w-3xl m-auto  flex-col-reverse lg:flex-row-reverse image-right\">\n\n        \n            <div class=\"w-full pt-20 img-wrapper lg:w-1\/2 image-left lg:pt-0 \">\n                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/zappi-smart-ev-charger-myenergi.png\" class=\"w-full h-full load-hidden block object-cover \" alt=\"\" style=\"opacity: 1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/zappi-smart-ev-charger-myenergi.png 960w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/zappi-smart-ev-charger-myenergi-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/zappi-smart-ev-charger-myenergi-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/zappi-smart-ev-charger-myenergi-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/zappi-smart-ev-charger-myenergi-330x330.png 330w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/zappi-smart-ev-charger-myenergi-600x600.png 600w, https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2023\/02\/zappi-smart-ev-charger-myenergi-250x250.png 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/>\n            <\/div>\n\n        \n        \n            <div class=\"container flex items-center justify-center mx-auto lg:w-1\/2 pt-20 lg:py-30 2xl:py-75\">\n                <div class=\"w-full lg:max-w-[27rem] xl:max-w-md first-mt-0 px-2.5 lg:px-0 last-mb-0 content-wrapper load-hidden\">\n                    <h3 class=\"h3  text-left  \">Do I need solar panels for zappi to work?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"bg-wrapper single-col-bg-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"wrapper wrapper--mid\">\n<div class=\"col-12 sm-col-7 md-col-7 mx-auto  fc-single-col  \">\n<p>No, zappi also works as a stand-alone plug and go charger. If you select Fast Mode, the zappi will simply charge at the fastest rate whenever the vehicle is plugged in and will only stop charging when the battery is full. However, zappi is an eco-smart, solar charger because it is compatible with all Solar PV systems and wind turbines, to be able to utilise green energy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bg-wrapper cta-block-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-wrap justify-center cta-block normal\">\n<div class=\"col-12 py6 px6 bg-light-green middle-col cta-col\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n        \n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":2,"template":"","guides-category":[43,71,154],"class_list":["post-20139","guides","type-guides","status-publish","hentry","guides-category-frequently-asked","guides-category-solar-panels","guides-category-technical-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides\/20139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/guides"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides\/20139\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"guides-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.myenergi.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guides-category?post=20139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}