More NC homeowners are arriving at the same decision point: they’re buying an EV and thinking about solar, or they have solar quotes in hand and just ordered an EV. The question isn’t really whether to do both. It’s whether to do them at the same time.
This guide covers why combining the two in a single project makes practical sense, how to size a solar system when EV charging is part of the load, how Duke Energy’s time-of-use rates affect the financial picture, and which incentives you can actually claim. The federal solar credit expired December 31, 2025 — that’s in here too.
Why install solar and an EV charger at the same time?
The clearest reason is efficiency. One project means one permit pulled, one panel assessment completed, and one licensed electrician on-site for the day. Scheduling a separate electrician visit later adds a second permit fee, a second inspection, and a second service call charge. If your home needs a panel upgrade to handle the combined load, doing it once covers both jobs instead of revisiting the same panel months apart.
There’s also a design advantage. An installer who knows your EV charging load from the start can size the solar system to cover it. If you add an EV charger to an existing solar system that wasn’t sized with it in mind, you may find the panels were spec’d too small, and that’s more complicated to correct after the fact.
One permit, one panel visit
Most NC municipalities require a separate electrical permit for an EV charger installation and a separate permit for a solar installation, but an electrician can often pull both during a single project phase. That means one inspection appointment rather than two, which can cut weeks from your project timeline. Ask your installer upfront whether they pull both permits or coordinate with a solar subcontractor who does.
Panel upgrades apply to both loads
A Level 2 EV charger needs a dedicated 240-volt circuit with a 40 to 50-amp breaker. A solar system feeds back through the panel in a different direction. Both interact with the same physical hardware. If your home is on a 100-amp panel that’s already loaded, upgrading to 200-amp service once covers everything. Paying for two panel assessments and potentially two separate upgrade visits wastes money and time.
See also: When do you need a panel upgrade for EV charging?
How do you size a solar system that includes EV charging?
The starting point is your expected driving mileage. The EPA rates most modern EVs at roughly 3 to 4 miles per kWh of electricity. NC drivers average around 30 to 40 miles per day. Put those together:
- 35 miles per day at 3.5 miles per kWh = 10 kWh per day of charging
- 10 kWh per day x 365 = 3,650 kWh per year
That’s the additional annual electricity your EV needs. Now you need to know how much solar it takes to produce that. North Carolina gets 4 to 5 peak sun hours per day depending on location. After accounting for system losses (heat, inverter efficiency, wiring), 1 kW of solar in NC produces roughly 1,400 to 1,600 kWh per year. At 1,500 kWh per kW as a midpoint:
- 3,650 kWh EV load / 1,500 kWh per kW = about 2.4 kW of additional solar
In practice, most NC homeowners need to add 2.5 to 3 kW to whatever system size they’d otherwise need for household loads. That’s roughly 7 to 9 additional panels at current efficiencies.
What about charging overnight?
Here’s a nuance worth understanding. Most EV owners charge overnight, while the car is parked and electricity is cheapest. But solar produces only during the day. Those two things don’t overlap.
Solar isn’t directly powering your EV charging the way some marketing materials imply. What solar is doing is offsetting your daytime household loads and, depending on your net metering agreement, exporting surplus to the grid. Your overnight EV charging draws from the grid. The financial case still holds, but the logic is different: solar cuts your daytime electricity bill, and cheap off-peak rates cover EV charging. These are two separate levers, not one integrated loop.
See also: How net metering works for NC solar customers
How do Duke Energy’s TOU rates affect the combined install?
Duke Energy offers time-of-use rate options for residential customers, including the Flex Savings Option (FSO) and the Residential Time-of-Use (RT) rate. Both charge less for electricity used during off-peak hours and more during peak hours. For FSO in summer, peak hours run 6 to 9 pm on weekdays.
For EV owners, TOU works well. Charging overnight at off-peak rates on FSO costs well below the standard flat rate, which is one reason EV owners tend to benefit from enrolling.
For solar owners, TOU requires closer attention. Solar produces during midday, when FSO rates are off-peak. Your panels export at a lower credit rate and you buy back power at the higher peak rate in the evenings. Whether TOU still makes sense for a solar home depends on your load profile, your battery situation, and your net metering agreement.
The practical takeaway for a combined solar and EV charger install: the two systems work together financially even though they operate at different times of day. Solar handles daytime loads and exports surplus. Off-peak rates handle EV charging. The electric bill shrinks from both ends.
For a full breakdown of FSO vs. the RT rate, see the Duke Energy TOU rate options guide.
Which incentives apply to a combined solar and EV charger install?
Several programs are relevant. One major credit has expired. One popular program requires a component most people don’t expect.
Federal 30C EV Charger Credit
The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit (30C) covers 30% of EV charger equipment and installation costs, up to $1,000 for homeowners. This is a tax credit, not a rebate, so your actual tax liability affects how much you can use in a given year.
Key details:
- Active through June 30, 2026.
- The charger must be at your primary residence.
- The installation must be in an eligible census tract. Not all addresses qualify. Check your address before committing — ask your installer to confirm, or use the IRS eligibility tool.
- The credit applies to charger hardware and installation labor, not to panel or wiring upgrades.
Duke Energy Charger Prep Credit
Duke Energy’s Charger Prep Credit covers up to $1,133 in electrical prep work required for EV charger installation. This includes qualifying panel work, wiring runs, and related electrical preparation.
Duke Energy accepts retroactive applications within 120 days of work completion, so you don’t need to apply before starting. That said, confirming eligibility before the work begins avoids surprises.
This credit can stack with the 30C federal credit. The 30C credit applies to charger equipment and installation; the Charger Prep Credit applies to electrical prep work. They cover different costs.
Federal Solar Credit (Section 25D): Expired
The residential clean energy credit that covered 30% of solar installation costs expired December 31, 2025. Systems installed from January 1, 2026 onward do not qualify. If your system went live in 2025, you can still claim the credit on your 2025 federal tax return using Form 5695. Don’t claim it for a 2026 installation.
Duke Energy PowerPair
PowerPair provides up to $9,000 for NC homeowners who install solar and battery storage together for the first time:
- Solar: $0.36 per watt-AC, up to $3,600
- Battery: $400 per kWh, up to $5,400
- Combined maximum: $9,000
The catch: PowerPair requires a battery. Solar plus an EV charger, without a battery, does not qualify. If you’re adding a battery alongside the solar and charger, the battery component qualifies for PowerPair regardless of the charger. If there’s no battery in the project, PowerPair isn’t available.
A few other details:
- A Duke Energy-approved Trade Ally installer is required.
- Territory matters. Duke Energy Carolinas (Charlotte area) still has program capacity as of April 2026. Duke Energy Progress (Raleigh, Research Triangle) is waitlist-only.
- Apply within 90 days of your system going operational. Applying before installation locks in your reservation.
See also: Full Duke Energy PowerPair guide
What to ask installers before you sign
Most installers quote solar and EV charger installations as separate scopes. These questions help you figure out whether they can handle both together and whether they’ll position you for every available incentive.
Does your solar quote include the EV charging load in the system sizing? If not, ask them to revise with your expected annual mileage factored in. An undersized system costs more to correct later than to spec correctly now.
Can you pull a single permit covering both the solar and EV charger installations? Some installers can; others subcontract the electrical work and leave you to coordinate separately. Knowing upfront saves scheduling problems.
Will we need a panel upgrade for both loads combined? Ask early. A panel assessment that looks only at solar may clear you without accounting for the 40 to 50-amp EV circuit. Have the installer assess total load before quoting.
Are you a Duke Energy Trade Ally, and can you submit a PowerPair application? If you’re adding a battery, this matters. Not all solar installers are Trade Ally certified.
Can you confirm my address qualifies for the 30C census tract requirement? The 30C credit has geographic eligibility restrictions. A good installer will check this before you commit.