How to Add Vehicles (EV & Transportation Load) (Beta)

This article explains how to add transportation details into a project so you can model the shift from petrol/diesel to electric vehicles (EVs). By including these details, you can accurately capture the customer’s future energy needs, size their solar system accordingly, and highlight both financial and environmental benefits.

Step 1: Enter Transportation Details

Vehicle data is entered from the Info tab in your project.

1. Open the project you’re working on.

2. Go to the Info tab.

3. Scroll to Electricity Usage → Transportation.

4. You’ll see two sections: Current Transportation (ICE vehicle) and Proposed Transportation (EV).

A. Current Transportation (ICE Vehicle)

Use this to set the customer’s fuel baseline.

• Annual Miles/Km Driven – Example: 10,000 miles

• Average Fuel Price – Example: $2.50 per gallon

• Vehicle Efficiency – Example: 50 mpg

[Image placeholder: Current Transportation example]

B. Proposed Transportation (EV)

Use this to model the new EV load.

• Annual Miles/Km Driven – Usually the same as current mileage.

• Vehicle Efficiency – Example: 3.5 miles/kWh

• % Charging at Home – Set to 100% (only home charging supported).

• Charging Schedule – Choose the profile closest to customer habits:

[Image placeholder: Proposed Transportation example with charging schedule]

Step 2: Add the EV to Your System Design

After entering transportation details:

1. Go to the Design tab.

   • Tip: Navigate directly without hitting “Save” on Info tab first – this ensures the vehicle pop-up works smoothly (improvements coming).

2. Create a New System Design.

3. When prompted, click Add Vehicle.

4. The EV is now added to the load profile and will appear in the Other Components tab.

5. The consumption graph updates instantly to show household + EV charging load.

[GIF placeholder: Adding EV in Design tab and updated load curve]

Step 3: Adjust System Sizing

With the EV load included, you can now design a solar system that meets the new demand.

• Add panels, inverters, and batteries as usual.

• Check the Consumption Offset % to see how well solar covers the combined home + EV load.

• Adjust the system size until you reach the desired offset.

Step 4: See EV Impact in Proposals

In Classic Proposal

• The main Consumption vs Generation graphs reflect the higher load.

• All bill savings and financials update automatically.

In Sales Machine Proposal (SMP)

• Component Display: EV charger shown if added in design.

• Before & After Comparison: Current World (fuel) vs Electrified World (EV + solar).

• Fuel Savings: Dedicated section showing monthly fuel costs reduced to $0.

• Financials: Charts and payment options updated with EV + solar combined savings.

[Image placeholder: SMP Current vs Electrified view]

How the EV Calculations Work (Quick Overview)

• EV energy demand is calculated from:
  Annual mileage ÷ Vehicle efficiency (mi/kWh)

• This demand is distributed hourly across the year using the selected charging profile.

• The result is a custom 8760 load curve, layered onto the home’s base consumption.

Featured Figures Compatible with EoE Projects

When Transportation data is added to a project, compatible Featured Figures can be used to highlight the impact of electrification within both Classic and Sales Machine Proposals.