You could go the Tesla Way to build a complete energy system with an electric car, a Powerwall battery for energy storage, and solar tiles to get power from the sun. You can then charge your Tesla EV using the energy stored on the roof or feed that battery energy back into the house (although you still can’t use a Tesla to power your house directly).
Total cost: approximately $ 6,000 plus installation for the Powerwall; around $ 44,000 for a full solar roof; and a Tesla Model 3 for around $ 38,000 for the cheapest model.
But Tesla isn’t the only option. More “smart home” energy systems are emerging. On Wednesday, Montreal-based Dcbel announced the introduction of the r16 all-in-one energy management system. It uses solar energy to charge electric vehicles, but also acts as an emergency power source.
The device can charge up to two electric vehicles at the same time and offers fast charging (Level 3 or DC Fast Charging) that allows you to reach a range of 60 miles in one hour. CEO Marc-Andre Forget described it as a “little Tesla compressor in your home”.
Total cost: $ 4,999 plus installation and electric vehicle (a new Nissan Leaf costs around $ 31,000).
The Dcbel device comes with an accompanying app that you can use to monitor energy consumption in your electric vehicle and at home. It won’t be available until later this summer in California, where CEO Marc-Andre Forget saw a need for better energy solutions (and because the state has a high proportion of electric vehicles). After the climate crisis in Texas at the beginning of this year, the company is also planning a market launch there.
The Dcbel can charge any EV, but in order to use your electric vehicle as a power source, the car must be charged bidirectionally. This is currently only compatible with the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrids. More and more car manufacturers such as the upcoming Kia EV6 and all future Volkswagen EVs are extending the vehicle directly to the power grid.
More than an EV charger.
Forget that the Dcbel uses EV shopping to “make it more convenient,” especially since cars are parked with a charged battery most of the time.
The Dcbel can supplement the daily electricity consumption of your home with stored energy from an electric vehicle or come into action during a power failure. Forget that the average power outage lasts around four hours and the Dcbel automatically turns on the car’s power when a power outage occurs. The car battery can power the average American home for up to 12 hours, depending on how much power you need to run the refrigerator, microwave, oven, air conditioner, and television.
Forget expects people to buy the energy manager when buying an electric vehicle or buying a home as it is a big investment in this energy efficient lifestyle. No Tesla required.
