US residential solar installer SunPower has partnered with EV charging provider Wallbox to add EV charging technologies to its portfolio.
Through the strategic partnership, consumers can choose to have both rooftop solar and EV charging technologies installed at the same time, while SunPower will become Wallbox’s preferred solar and storage provider.
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Peter Faricy, chief executive at SunPower, said the move into EV charging was the “natural next step” for the company. “As customer needs continue to evolve and expand, SunPower will develop and deliver the energy services needed to help meet them,” he added.
Adapting to consumers’ changing needs has been an emerging theme within the US residential solar installer base in recent weeks, with installers adding to the list of services and solutions they can offer installers. During its Q2 results disclosure yesterday Sunnova chief executive William J. Berger said solar was entering a “new phase”, one that would be typified by customers demanding more from their solar systems than simply a financial instrument.
SunPower’s move to add EV chargers to its product line-up also comes just two months after Ford selected Sunrun as its installation partner for its new F-150 electric vehicle.
Under the partnership, SunPower will assess a user’s home and electrical system to ensure it is compatible with domestic EV charging, while existing Wallbox customers will also have the option of adding home solar or storage solutions through SunPower.
The two companies are also exploring options to develop new products and solutions to integrate solar with EV, with current discussions noted to include utilising Wallbox’s bi-directional power technology with SunPower systems to offer backup power solutions.
SunPower expects to begin EV charging installations in California this autumn before expanding to additional states over the course of the year.
