Is it possible to charge an electric car completely using a portable solar EV charger?

Technically yes, practically no—for now.

• A typical portable solar panel produces 200–400W.
• An EV needs 50–80 kWh for a full charge.
• Using portable solar alone would take 5–10 days of perfect sunlight.

Portable solar can trickle charge or support off-grid emergencies, but cannot meaningfully recharge an EV from 0–100% without a large fixed installation (5–12 kW rooftop system).

Can you power an EV charger with diesel?

Yes, but only by powering a diesel generator that outputs AC electricity. Many remote fleets and roadside services use diesel-powered Level 2 or DC fast charging units for emergency charging.

It works, but:

• Extremely inefficient
• Very expensive per kWh
• Produces high emissions

Diesel-powered EV charging is for emergencies, not routine charging.

Is it a must to have a portable EV charger with you?

Not required, but highly recommended.

Reasons to carry one:

• Allows charging from any household outlet (Level 1).
• Useful in rural areas or hotels without dedicated EVSE.
• Essential for road trips if public chargers are unreliable.

A good portable charger example:

Will the guys from Shark Tank who created a portable EV charger make a fortune?

Portable charging is a growing niche, but not a path to mass-market dominance. The global EVSE market is projected to exceed $120–150 billion by 2030, but portable charging represents only a small slice of this.

Success depends on:

• Charging speed (higher amperage sells)
• Safety certifications (UL, ETL, Energy Star)
• Durability and temperature performance
• Brand partnerships (OEM, utilities)

When did EV chargers start being used?

The first commercial EV chargers appeared in the 1990s with early EV programs (GM EV1, Toyota RAV4 EV). Modern standardized chargers—SAE J1772—were introduced in 2010. DC fast charging became mainstream after 2012 when Tesla launched Supercharger V1.

If you have access to free EV chargers at public places, is there any benefit to installing an EV charger at home?

Yes—free public charging does not eliminate the need for home charging.

• Convenience: you plug in every night without driving elsewhere.
• Availability: free chargers are often occupied or broken.
• Time: charging while sleeping is the #1 benefit of EV ownership.
• Battery health: home Level 2 is gentler than repetitive DC fast charging.

Do you think an EV charger is a good investment?

For most EV owners, yes.

• Raises home value (real estate data shows +1–3%).
• Lowers charging cost vs public charging.
• Improves battery longevity compared with frequent fast charging.
• Tax incentives (U.S. 30% IRS credit for EVSE + installation in qualifying areas).

There are 1.5 million gas pumps in the US—how many EV chargers do we need?

We do NOT need a 1:1 replacement.

Because EVs charge at home 70–85% of the time, experts estimate the U.S. needs:

• 10–20% as many public chargers as gas pumps
• ≈ 200,000–300,000 public Level 2 chargers
• ≈ 50,000–120,000 DC fast chargers for corridor travel

The U.S. is currently accelerating buildout under the NEVI program.

Why do we need to pay for using an EV charger?

Public EV chargers incur costs that fuel stations do not:

• High electricity demand charges
• Maintenance and 24/7 support
• Network backend (OCPP servers, billing, telemetry)
• Hardware costs (DC chargers cost $50k–$150k)
• Site lease agreements

Public charging is a utility service, not a profit-maximizing business.

Is it necessary to register online before using public EV chargers?

Not always, but often.

• Tesla Superchargers: App or plug-and-charge.
• ChargePoint / EVgo / EA: Requires account for billing.
• Free municipal chargers: No registration needed.

Most new chargers support AutoCharge / plug-and-charge for seamless billing.

References & External Reading

• How much does a home EV charger really cost?
• Tesla EV charger communication protocol