Works with · Smart-meter reader

Charge your EV on solar with any inverter: Emporia Vue Utility Connect + SundialEV

The Emporia Vue Utility Connect is a $39.99 reader that plugs into an outlet near your smart meter. SundialEV uses its reading to charge your EV on surplus solar, whatever brand your inverter or panels are.

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Live in the app — solar-only charging

What it is

A $39.99 reader for your smart meter

The Emporia Vue Utility Connect plugs into a standard outlet near your meter and pairs with it wirelessly. It reports what crosses the meter: what your home imports from the grid, and what it exports to it. It's on PG&E's list of validated SmartMeter™ devices.

That net figure is the number NEM 3.0 bills on. An exported kWh earns a fraction of what an imported one costs, so surplus solar is worth more in your car than on the grid — and the meter reading is exactly the signal that says when there is surplus. The PG&E page has the current rates.

The gap SundialEV fills

The reader measures. SundialEV does the charging.

Emporia's product page says the Utility Connect does not support its Solar Only Charging feature. SundialEV provides it: you sign in with your Emporia account, SundialEV reads the same meter data, and it does the solar-only charging itself.

What you need

Four things

Supported utilities

Nine utilities, per Emporia

The reader only works with smart meters that can stream to it. Emporia's product page lists these utilities as supported:

The list is Emporia's and can change, so confirm with your utility before you buy that your meter is enabled for it. SundialEV reads the meter through your Emporia account, so it works the same way whichever of these utilities you're on. The setup steps below use PG&E as the example.

Setup

Three steps, no electrician

  1. Plug in the reader
    Buy the Emporia Vue Utility Connect and plug it into an outlet near your meter.
  2. Link it to your meter
    Register it with PG&E's Stream My Data and finish setup in the Emporia app (Emporia's guide).
  3. Connect Emporia in SundialEV
    Sign in with your Emporia account. That's the whole setup on our side.

Pairing the reader with your meter is the utility's and Emporia's process — follow their pages for it. Check with your utility before buying that your meter supports the reader.

What SundialEV does

Starts on export, holds your meter near zero

When the meter shows you're exporting, SundialEV starts the car. Every few minutes it reads the meter again and raises or lowers the charge rate to keep your meter near zero, and it stops when the surplus is gone.

One measured afternoon: SundialEV started a Tesla Model 3 on about 3 kW of export, ramped it to 25–28 A, and held the meter within about 1 kW of zero for 1 hour 45 minutes — 56% to 72%.
What it reads

What you'll see in SundialEV

Grid flow only: what you export and what you import. Charging works the same either way; connect a supported solar system as well if you want production figures.

Provides

  • Grid import and export, read at your meter

Known limits

  • No solar production or home-usage figures from the reader alone.
  • The meter is read every few minutes, so the charge rate follows the sun in steps.
  • Works only where your utility's meter supports the reader — check before you buy.
  • Needs an email-and-password Emporia account (not Google/Apple sign-in).
  • Charging can't go below the charger's or car's minimum current, so very small surpluses wait.

Related: PG&E solar EV charging · Emporia EV charger · Savings calculator

What would charging on surplus save you?

Enter your zip and the calculator uses your utility's real rates.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

My inverter isn't on your list. Can I still use SundialEV?
Yes. Add an Emporia Vue Utility Connect ($39.99). It plugs into a standard outlet near your PG&E SmartMeter™ and reads what your home exports and imports at the meter, so the brand of your inverter or panels doesn't matter. Once it's registered with PG&E and set up in the Emporia app, connect your Emporia account in SundialEV. SundialEV checks the meter every few minutes, starts charging when you're exporting, and adjusts the charge rate to keep your meter near zero. You'll also need a Tesla, or any EV on a supported wall charger (OCPP or Emporia), so SundialEV can control the charging.
Emporia says the Utility Connect doesn't do solar-only charging. Does SundialEV?
Yes — that's the part SundialEV adds. Emporia's product page notes the Utility Connect doesn't support its Solar Only Charging feature. SundialEV reads the same meter data through your Emporia account and does the solar-only charging itself.
Will I see my solar production with just the Utility Connect?
No. It sees what crosses your meter — exports and imports — not what your panels produce. Charging works the same either way. If you also connect a supported solar system, SundialEV shows production too.

Put your surplus in the car

Plug in at the meter, then connect your Emporia account.

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