US solar system provider SolarCity has partnered with electric vehicle (EV) charging station manufacturer ClipperCreek to distribute EV charging units as part of the company's retails package. According to SolarCity the combination of an EV with a residential solar system could save the average driver more than $170 per month, compared to driving a petrol-powered vehicle.
Dave Packard, president of ClipperCreek, said, 'Roughly 40 percent of residential EV owners have solar and we expect these environmental and economic benefits to expand with the coming proliferation of electric cars and increasing use of solar power.'
Lyndon Rive, CEO of SolarCity, added, 'SolarCity's mission has always been to help homeowners and businesses adopt clean power while saving on energy costs. Electric cars are already among the cleanest-running vehicles on the road - charging them on solar makes them that much better. Tens of thousands of electric cars will be delivered over the next year alone, with hundreds of thousands expected over the next five years. We're making it easier to power them with carbon-free electricity for zero emissions, and to dramatically reduce the cost of driving.'
Earlier this month SolarCity was selected to be the vendor of choice for a San Francisco-area venture designed to encourage small to medium-sized businesses to install solar panels. It also expanded its partnership with electricity retailer TUX Energy by offering a $5m incentive fund to promote solar adoption in Texas.