Tag Archives: Tesla

Electric vehicle FAQ

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular and affordable in the United States. And because they’re a newer technology, many drivers have questions about how EVs work, what they cost, the advantages and disadvantages of switching to electrified transportation, and more.

So we’ve put together a list of common questions about electric vehicles, and provided additional information and resources to help you learn more about your options.  

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Adding a battery to your solar energy system as a retrofit

The market for home energy storage options like the Tesla Powerwall has taken off in recent years, and costs are falling quickly. Many homeowners and businesses are thinking about adding a battery backup to their solar panel system.

The benefits of a home battery can be significant, especially if you have solar: you can use more solar energy onsite, or save it to use as backup power in the event that the grid goes down. If you are on time-of-use (TOU) rates for your electricity or pay monthly demand charges, you can even save money by using power from your battery when rates are high. 

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What the Tesla inverter means for solar

In January 2021, Tesla launched a new product: the Tesla Solar Inverter. In the realm of Tesla announcements, this one went a little under the radar for the general public — it’s nowhere near as flashy or exciting of a launch as any of their electric vehicles, the initial Powerwall, or Solar Roof. But don’t let that fool you into thinking that this announcement is insignificant: by building their own Solar Inverter, Tesla has the potential to drive the cost of solar even lower. Here’s what Tesla’s announcement means for the solar industry.

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Travel in the modern EV: a reliable choice

A common argument against electric vehicles is that they’re “unreliable” or “too limited in range.” Ten years ago, these critics may have been right. But today, electric vehicles represent the future of the auto industry. In 2020, electric car manufacturer Tesla overtook Toyota to become the world’s most valuable carmaker. Other auto companies have been quick to follow, from luxury brands like Audi, BMW, and Jaguar to more affordable options like Chevy or Nissan now boasting new EV options. This trend is driven by scientific advancements in batteries and charging that allow you to travel farther and recharge quicker than ever before. But what does travel with an EV look like today? Is a road trip really viable? Let’s take a look.

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Top EnergySage articles of 2020

Let’s all breathe a big sigh of relief – 2020 is almost over! Despite some hurdles, solar energy had a strong year full of exciting news and milestones; in their 2020 World Energy Outlook report, the International Energy Agency (IEA) proclaimed that solar will be the “new king of electricity,” the world’s largest solar plant went live in October (2.2 gigawatts!), and just this week, the federal government extended the 26 percent solar tax credit for another two years.

To finish off the end of a long year, we’ve pulled together a list of our most popular articles of 2020, as chosen by you, our readers.

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Tesla Battery Day: what you need to know

It’s rare that very technical demonstrations of technology and supply chain advancements manage to jump beyond industry and into the public consciousness. But as with all things Tesla, the announcement of the company’s Battery Day was met with significant hype beyond just the storage and electric vehicle industries, and with good reason: teasers in anticipation of the event seemed to indicate that Tesla had discovered a breakthrough in energy storage manufacturing that would reduce the price of batteries to the point that they could begin to produce and commercialize a truly affordable electric vehicle. 

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