Helping Riverside County homeowners navigate SCE rates and solar options since 2020
Temecula and Murrieta are driving EV country. The I-15 corridor to San Diego gives most commuters a predictable daily route where range anxiety is not a real issue, and with gas averaging $4.50-$5.00/gallon locally, the fuel cost math on an EV has never been clearer. But if you are charging an EV on SCE grid power during peak hours, you are paying up to 34.5 cents/kWh to do it - which cuts into your fuel savings.
The answer is sizing your solar system to include the EV load. It is a bigger system, but the payback math still works - and in some cases works better than solar alone because the combined fuel-plus-electricity savings is substantial.
How Much Power Does an EV Actually Add?
The math starts with your daily driving distance and your EV's efficiency.
For a typical Temecula commuter driving 25 miles/day in a Tesla Model 3, daily charging use is about 6-7 kWh. Across a full month, that is 180-210 kWh of additional electricity load on top of your home baseline.
Converting EV Load to Solar Size
Temecula averages 5.8-6.0 peak sun hours per day. A 1 kW solar panel generates roughly 5.8-6.0 kWh/day. To cover 6 kWh/day of EV charging, you need approximately 1 kW of additional solar capacity. For most EVs in the Temecula commuter range, add 2-3 kW to your baseline solar system recommendation. A pickup like the F-150 Lightning needs 4-5 kW extra.
SCE TOU Rates and When to Charge Your EV
SCE's TOU-D-PRIME rate structure creates a clear charging playbook:
Best window to charge. Your panels are producing at maximum output. If you are home or have a smart charger you can schedule, set it to run during this window. Cost is effectively $0 from solar production.
Still reasonable for charging if your panels have remaining production capacity.
Avoid charging here. This is SCE's most expensive window. If you must charge during this window, a Powerwall charged during solar hours can cover part of the load.
Good overnight charging window if you do not have solar storage. Many EV chargers can be scheduled to start at 9pm automatically.
The Full Stack: Solar + Battery + EV
Adding battery storage to a solar-plus-EV setup changes the economics significantly. Instead of selling excess midday solar production back to the grid at 8 cents/kWh (NEM 3.0 export rate), you store it and use it to charge your EV during the evening peak window - effectively turning 8-cent export value into 34-cent peak displacement.
Tesla Powerwall 3
13.5 kWh capacity, 11.5 kW continuous power
Stores enough solar for evening EV charging + home backup. Best paired with Tesla vehicles for integrated monitoring.
$9,200-$11,500 installed (before 30% ITC)
Enphase IQ Battery 5P
5 kWh capacity, stackable to 15+ kWh
Modular design. Can start with one unit and add capacity as budget allows. Works with any solar brand.
$6,000-$7,500 per unit installed (before ITC)
Ford F-150 Lightning
98-131 kWh truck battery as home backup
With Ford Intelligent Backup Power (transfer switch required), powers home for 3-10 days. Truck doubles as mobile power source.
$4,000-$7,000 for transfer switch installation
For full details on whether adding a Powerwall to your system is worth it based on current SCE rates and NEM 3.0 export values, see our battery backup guide for Temecula homeowners.
EV + Solar Sizing Logic for Temecula Homes
Step-by-Step Sizing Estimate
Find your annual home electricity use
Look at your last 12 SCE bills or log in to My SCE to pull annual kWh. Typical Temecula home: 12,000-18,000 kWh/year.
Calculate your EV annual kWh
Daily miles / EV efficiency x 365. Example: 25 miles / 4 mi per kWh x 365 = 2,281 kWh/year.
Add a 15% production buffer
Systems do not operate at lab efficiency. Add 15% to account for temperature losses, shading, and inverter efficiency.
Divide by Temecula peak sun hours
Total annual kWh needed / 365 days / 5.9 peak sun hours = system kW size needed.
Example result
Home: 15,000 kWh + EV: 2,300 kWh = 17,300 kWh. With buffer: 19,895 kWh / 365 / 5.9 = 9.2 kW system.
Bidirectional Charging: The Future of EV + Solar
Vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging lets your EV battery work as a home energy storage system - not just a car. The F-150 Lightning already does this commercially through Ford Pro. Several other manufacturers including Nissan (with the Leaf), Hyundai (Ioniq 6 in select markets), and GM (Silverado EV) have launched or announced V2H capability.
For a Temecula homeowner, a V2H-capable EV paired with rooftop solar could replace a dedicated battery system like a Powerwall. You charge the car during solar peak hours, then discharge it back through the home during the 4pm-9pm SCE on-peak window. The challenge is usage: every V2H discharge cycle counts toward your battery's warranty limits.
This is still an emerging technology for most vehicle brands. SCE's Charge Ready program provides rebates for qualifying Level 2 EVSE installations at home, which is worth checking when you add a home charger during a solar project.
Get an EV-Inclusive Solar Quote
Tell us your EV model and daily driving distance. We will give you a system size and monthly savings estimate that covers both your home and your car.
Call (951) 290-3014Free sizing estimate. No obligation.
EV + Solar FAQ
How much solar do I need to charge my EV in Temecula?
A typical EV like a Tesla Model 3 uses about 4 kWh per 15 miles. A Temecula-area commuter driving 20-30 miles per day needs 5-8 kWh/day for charging. That translates to roughly 2-3 additional kW of solar on top of your home baseline. So if your home alone needs a 7 kW system, add an EV and size up to 9-10 kW.
When is the cheapest time to charge an EV on SCE in Temecula?
SCE TOU-D-PRIME charges its highest rates (up to 34.5 cents/kWh) from 4pm-9pm on weekdays. The cheapest window is off-peak: 9pm-8am at roughly 15-18 cents/kWh, and super off-peak on weekends. If you have solar, the optimal strategy is to charge during peak solar production hours (10am-3pm) when your panels are covering the load for free, and avoid the 4pm-9pm window entirely.
Can I use a Powerwall to power my EV at night from solar?
Yes. A Tesla Powerwall 3 stores 13.5 kWh - enough to add meaningful nighttime EV charging range. If you charge at a Level 2 rate (roughly 7 kW), a full Powerwall discharges in under 2 hours. Many EV-plus-solar homeowners use two Powerwalls for a 27 kWh storage buffer: one covers home backup, one handles evening EV charging from captured solar production.
What is the Ford F-150 Lightning vehicle-to-home feature?
The F-150 Lightning with Ford Intelligent Backup Power can power a home for 3-10 days using the truck's 98 kWh or 131 kWh battery (Extended Range). It requires a Ford-approved transfer switch installation ($4,000-$7,000 installed) and a compatible home electrical panel. Paired with solar, the Lightning becomes both a vehicle and a whole-home battery backup - though the charge cycles on the truck battery do accrue faster with heavy home power use.
Does going electric (EV) and adding solar in Temecula make financial sense together?
For most Temecula homeowners, yes - the combination accelerates the payback on both decisions. An EV eliminates $150-$300/month in gas costs. Solar eliminates $250-$400/month in SCE bills. A right-sized solar system covering both the home and EV charging can produce $400-$700/month in combined savings. The 2-3 additional kW needed for EV charging adds roughly $5,000-$7,000 to system cost before the 30% federal credit, which reduces it to $3,500-$4,900.