In short: Electrifying a fleet needs a lot of energy right on site. A solar canopy over the company car park produces that power where the vehicles are parked. With battery storage and load management, a large share of the charging demand can be covered with your own solar power.
More and more companies are switching their fleets to electric vehicles, from company cars to heavy trucks. That raises a key question: where does the power come from, and does it pay off? The answer is often right above your own parking spaces.
Why solar canopies and electric fleets fit together
Depending on load and route, a heavy electric truck uses roughly 100 to 150 kWh per 100 kilometres. With several vehicles, daily demand quickly reaches several hundred kilowatt hours. A solar canopy generates part of it on site.
- Own power: Self-generated solar power is usually much cheaper than grid electricity.
- Predictable costs: Less exposure to volatile electricity prices.
- No extra land: Existing parking spaces are used twice.
- Weather protection: Vehicles are protected from hail, sun and rain.
- Proof of sustainability: Charging with your own solar power can be documented in ESG reports and tenders.
- Toll: Under current German law, zero-emission trucks over 4.25 tonnes are exempt from the truck toll until 30 June 2031.
How the system works
- Generate: Bifacial modules on the canopy use direct sunlight and light reflected from the ground.
- Store: Many fleets charge at night. A battery stores daytime solar power and releases it in the evening and at night.
- Charge: AC and DC charging points under the canopy, controlled by load management so the grid connection is not overloaded.
Our own installation in Aldersbachshows how this works in practice: around 650 kWp, a battery with around 2,000 kWh and a 400 kW fast charger for trucks and cars.
Calculate your car park for free
What profitability depends on
- Fleet size and daily charging demand
- Charging times: directly from the sun during the day or from storage at night
- Parking area and orientation
- Your electricity price
How much of the charging demand your own solar power can cover depends mainly on when vehicles charge. We calculate this for your site. For financing, read Is a solar carport eligible for funding? (German)
Who benefits?
- Logistics: large parking areas, predictable charging times, e-trucks running on own power.
- Industry: high daytime consumption, staff car parks.
- Retail: customer parking with weather protection and charging, plus own delivery traffic.
- Municipalities: fleets, depots and public car parks.
Solar obligation for car parks
Seven German federal states already require solar systems on larger new car parks, starting at 25 to 70 spaces depending on the state. Bavaria has no such obligation for car parks. The rules per state are listed in our guide to the solar obligation for car parks (German). If you have to build anyway, plan the obligation, charging points and self-consumption together.
What to consider when planning
- Check the grid connection early
- Allow for structural design and building permit
- Load management for several vehicles charging at once
- Clarify funding before awarding contracts
- Build modular so the system can grow with the fleet
Everything from a single source
We build solar carports on a turnkey basis from a single source: steel structure, foundations, modules, inverters, charging points and grid connection. The structure spans up to 17 metres without columns between the parking spaces, and a type-approved structural design up to snow load zone 3 is available. See how it looks in practice at our own installation in Aldersbach.
Frequently asked questions
How much of the charging demand can the solar system cover?
That depends mainly on charging times. If vehicles charge during the day, a large share can come straight from the sun. For night charging, a suitably sized battery is needed. The grid connection remains as a backup.
Is there funding?
For the PV system mainly the KfW loan 270 and the EEG feed-in tariff for exported power. Federal and state funding calls for charging infrastructure open from time to time. We check which programmes are currently open during the consultation.
Does a solar carport need a building permit?
Larger canopies usually do. Requirements differ between federal states. Our type-approved structural design and proven documents make the process easier.
Our advice
Plan your fleet, charging points and solar power together. Then system size, storage and grid connection match your actual demand. Book a consultation
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As of November 2026.
