Bundling EVs and Solar Power Systems

August 15th, 2011 |

In an effort to make electric vehicles more attractive in the green marketplace, Ford and SunPower have come up with a buy one get one at a discount deal. The ‘Drive Green for Life’ program offers buyers of Ford’s Focus Electric to purchase a rooftop solar system from SunPower that will provide enough clean, renewable energy to offset the electricity used to charge the vehicle.

“Under the ‘Drive Green for Life’ program, Focus Electric owners can reduce their total cost of ownership by generating enough energy from their high efficiency SunPower rooftop solar system to offset the electricity required to charge the vehicle at night,” said Mike Tinskey, Ford director of Global Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure. “It’s an eco-friendly solution that perfectly complements our plug-in products and other green initiatives.”

The 2.5 kilowatt rooftop solar system is comprised of the SunPower® E18 Series solar panels that produce an average of 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. These high-efficiency solar panels generate approximately 50% more electricity than conventional panels and utilize a smaller footprint on the roof. The system was sized to accommodate a customer who drives about 1,000 miles per month.

The solar system has a base price of less than $10,000 after federal tax credits although local and state rebates may reduce that price further. The system also includes a residential monitoring system that offers the ability to track the performance of the solar system on the web or through an iPhone application.

“SunPower’s innovative partnership with Ford is a win-win for customers, providing a comprehensive sustainability program,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “By taking advantage of this program, Focus Electric customers can receive the added benefit of installing a SunPower solar system, the highest-efficiency, most reliable on the market today, generating the electricity needed to charge their vehicles.”