Guides — United States
Every guide answers its question in the first two sentences, dates every price, and names every source. 434 published, grouped into the questions buyers actually ask.
Reading elsewhere? Canada guides · Nigeria guides · New Zealand guides · Pakistan guides · United Arab Emirates guides · Saudi Arabia guides · Ireland guides · Australia guides · United Kingdom guides · South Africa guides
Start with your question
What should I buy, and how do I not get cheated?
29 guides
FixesWhy is my inverter beeping?
5 guides
SystemsHow do I size it, and what changed with net billing?
86 guides
ElectricShould I go electric, and what will it really cost per km?
21 guides
MoneySchemes, instalments, loans — what can I actually get?
288 guides
ReportsWhat do the numbers say?
5 guides
All guides — page 6 of 19
Electric
Should I go electric, and what will it really cost per km?
Bidirectional Charging Explained: V2L, V2H, V2G
V2L runs your power tools, V2H runs your house, V2G sells to the utility. What bidirectional charging requires, which EVs do which tier, and where solar fits.
Can Electric Cars Tow? Yes — Now Let's Talk About the Range
Electric trucks tow superbly — instant torque, no gear hunting. Then range falls 40-60% and the trip becomes charging logistics. The numbers, and who should.
Can You Charge an EV in the Rain? Snow? A Car Wash?
Yes — connectors are engineered for weather, sealed and de-energized until locked. Why wet charging is safe by design, and the few water rules that do exist.
Can You Charge an EV with a Solar Generator? The Math
Technically yes, usefully rarely: a big power station adds a few miles to a car that drinks tens of kilowatt-hours. Where it helps, and where it is theater.
Can You Jump-Start an EV? And Can It Jump Your Gas Car?
Yes — but it is the little 12-volt battery you are jumping, never the big pack. And using an EV to jump a gas car is where most manuals say no.
Charging an EV with Solar in the US (August 2026)
How rooftop solar and home EV charging fit together in the US: the hardware stack, why net-metering policy decides your strategy, and the 2026 tax rules.
Do Electric Cars Have Transmissions? Gears, Explained
Almost all EVs use a single-speed reduction gear — no shifting, nothing to service. Why electric motors don't need gears, and the rare exceptions with two.
Do Electric Cars Need Oil Changes? What EVs Do Need
No — there is no engine oil to change. What EVs do carry: reduction-gear fluid, coolant, brake fluid, and a schedule short enough for an index card.
Do EVs Need Special Tires? Weight, Torque, and Wear
EVs can run any tire that fits — but weight, instant torque and silence explain why EV-rated tires exist and why treadwear runs faster. And what is marketing.
Electric Car Road Trip Planning: The 10–80 Rule and Four Habits
Long-distance EV driving isn't about range, it's about the charging curve. Stop early, stop often, never charge to 100%, and lose no more time than coffee.
EV as Home Backup vs a Home Battery: Which to Buy?
A bidirectional EV carries several times a wall battery's capacity but drives away each morning. The comparison on capacity, availability, cost and solar duty.
EV Public Charging Networks in 2026: The Plug War Is Over
North America settled on one connector: NACS won, the automakers signed on, Tesla's network opened. What to look for, and the adapter a CCS car now needs.
How Far Can an Electric Car Go on One Charge? Reading the Number Honestly
The EPA number is a real measurement of an unreal drive. What moves your range — speed, cold, terrain, load — and why where you plug in at night matters more.
How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?
Minutes to days, honestly bracketed: DC fast does 10-80% in under an hour, Level 2 refills overnight, Level 1 trickles for days. Overnight is the real answer.
How Many Solar Panels Does It Take to Charge an EV?
Average US driving needs roughly 10-12 kWh of charging a day, which about 6-10 modern panels cover. How to run the numbers for your car, roof and state.
How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV? The Formula
Pack size times your rate: a 75 kWh fill runs about $13.80 at the national average home rate, less off-peak, more at fast chargers. The per-mile view too.
Level 1 vs Level 2 vs DC Fast Charging, Explained
Three charging levels, three jobs: the outlet you own, the charger worth installing, and the road-trip firehose. What each costs, when each fits, connectors.
Should You Charge Your EV to 100%? The 80% Rule, Explained
Daily 100% charging stresses most lithium packs; the 80-90% habit preserves them — except LFP, which wants the opposite. The chemistry and the settings.
Time-of-Use Rates with Solar and an EV: Play It Right
Time-of-use tariffs price the same kilowatt-hour by the clock — and a solar-plus-EV home controls both sides of it. Exports, charging windows, and batteries.
What Maintenance Does an EV Actually Need? The Full List
The complete EV maintenance schedule fits on a page: tires, cabin filter, brake fluid, coolant intervals, the 12-volt and software. What's gone, what remains.
Why Are Electric Cars So Expensive? And When They Aren't
The battery is the price, the rest is packaging: why EV stickers run high, why the gap narrows every year, and the used-market math that flips the comparison.
Money
Schemes, instalments, loans — what can I actually get?
'Free Solar Panels': The Catch, Decoded Line by Line
'Free solar' is a lease or PPA in costume: no upfront cost, decades of payments, incentives flowing to the company. The five contract lines that decide it.
AEP Ohio and Duke Energy Solar Net Metering Guide
Interconnect solar with AEP Ohio and Duke Energy Ohio. Learn 1:1 generation credits, Level 1 expedited review, smart revenue meters, and PTO rules.
Alabama Electric Cooperatives Solar Interconnection Guide
Alabama rural electric distribution cooperatives interconnection procedures, member generation policies, and safety sign-offs.