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Buying electric vehicles mean many things to American consumers these days. Eventually, it really is all about saving…that is, saving the environment. It is also about being able to help in lowering the emission of fuel to improve our world in creating a greener environment. It is also about helping alleviate global warming. All these are facilitated with the purchase of an electric vehicle, one that would not have to use fuel to make it run.

With that in mind, the question that is posed and that should be considered by consumers who wish to join the more-environment-friendly group is this, ‘Should you purchase solar panel first before purchasing an electric vehicle?’ Should you look at using solar power for your homes as you look at purchasing electric vehicles that would then be powered by the solar power installed at home?

With several studies and research done in several states, particularly in California, about the correlation between electric vehicles and solar panels, this might give a better point of view for both consumers who already purchased the electric vehicles and to those who are looking at purchasing one to know what they need to save up for, and possibly, what they need to look at purchasing first.

One entity that is able to show reliable figures regarding the solar panel and electric vehicles is CCSE.  California Center for Sustainable Energy deals with the rebates that the state offers to consumers who purchase plug-in cars. At the same time, the Air Resources Board purchase incentives for electric vehicles.

As of February 2012, for the total number of 1,419 consumers that purchased plug-in cars, 39% owned the solar photovoltaic system. Within the next year, at 2013, 17% of that number seriously thought of installing solar panels in their homes. The respondents and studies were not limited to a certain type of brand, that is, Tesla’s Roadsters, but also included the Nissan Leaf car owners as well.

Another piece of information that would help contribute in the question posed whether purchasing solar panels should come before purchasing electric vehicles, comes from BMW. According to the data taken from the car manufacturer, out of their BMW EV consumers more than 30% of these customers purchased residential solar.

Based from these studies, research and data, one would be able to conclude that consumers, that is, a bigger bulk of American consumers coming from California would look at and would consider purchasing the solar panels as they would with their electric vehicles, that is, compared to the average American consumer who does not have the electric vehicle yet. The data from above show that American household do not and would probably not consider purchasing the solar panel for their homes as of yet, unless there is a need to do so.

Hence, the question: should you purchase solar panels first before buying electric vehicles? Or should you purchase the electric vehicle first and then possibly look at the potential investment needed to purchase solar panels for your home?