Frequently asked questions

ChargeMeFree is a cloud platform that automatically charges your electric vehicle using excess rooftop solar. It watches your home energy flows, decides when spare sunshine is available, and starts or stops charging so more of your solar stays on-site instead of being exported cheaply to the grid.

Most households earn a low feed-in tariff for exported solar, then pay a much higher rate to buy electricity back for EV charging. ChargeMeFree prioritises charging from excess solar so you use that energy in the car instead of exporting it — reducing grid charging costs day after day. Many customers save over $30 per week, depending on solar size, driving, and tariffs.

Solar is recommended for the biggest savings. Without solar, scheduling and vehicle control features still work, but you won’t get the same Free Solar surplus charging benefits, so overall savings are typically lower.

Support is continually expanding. Tesla vehicles are a primary integration today, with more brands planned as APIs and partnerships allow. Check the dashboard or ask us during setup if your vehicle is already available.

Not always. ChargeMeFree can control charging through supported vehicle APIs and compatible charging methods. Dedicated smart charger integrations are on the roadmap — you can get started with what you have today and add hardware later as we expand support.

It depends on your inverter and monitoring equipment. Some systems report solar generation and home consumption directly. Others provide solar only — in those cases an additional energy monitor (or a supported third-party meter) is used so ChargeMeFree can calculate true surplus after home load.

Yes, in most cases. An external monitoring device can usually be added so home load is measured accurately. Once consumption and generation are both available, Free Solar charging works as designed. We’ll help you choose a supported option during onboarding.

Yes. ChargeMeFree uses secure encrypted cloud connections to talk to your vehicle and energy systems. There are no inbound firewall changes required on your home network — the platform is designed so your house doesn’t need to be exposed to the internet.

No. The software is designed to minimise unnecessary wake commands while still responding when charging should start, stop, or adjust. That keeps the car available when it matters without draining the 12V battery with constant polling.

Yes. You can take control whenever you need a charge outside Free Solar mode — for example before a longer trip or when solar isn’t available.

Yes. Smart scheduling lets you plan charging around departure times while still prioritising solar when surplus is available. Free Solar and schedules work together so you stay topped up without giving up savings.

The app will still work. ChargeMeFree charges when excess generation is available. If your home already uses most of the solar, surplus windows will be shorter and savings will depend on how much excess you actually have — scheduling and monitoring still add value.