Charging electric vehicles with solar power – intelligent, fast, cost-effective

EV Charger 7.4 / 22 with SMA Smart Connected

E-mobility made easy

While you’re sitting comfortably at home

SMA EV Charger allows PV system operators to charge their electric vehicles intelligently and sustainably. This is because charging electric vehicles with solar power keeps grid purchase costs to a minimum.

Universal

Whether your system is brand-new or has been in operation for some time, SMA EV Charger is highly flexible and compatible with all standard electric vehicles thanks to its permanently attached type 2 charging cable. Thanks to the SMA Energy System Home, users receive solutions from a single source.

  • Compatible with all standard electric vehicles

  • Integration into new and existing PV systems

  • Everything from a single source

Fast and easy to use

It can be easily operated using a rotary switch directly on the device or from the SMA Energy app on your smartphone. The boost function charges at almost twice the speed of a conventional charging station. Even small solar capacities can be utilized to the maximum early in the morning and evening thanks to the automatic switchover from single- and three-phase charge modes.

  • Charging with up to 22 kW

  • Boost function for grid-compatible, single-phase charging with up to 7.4 kW

  • Control and visualization via your smartphone using the SMA Energy app

Fast charging

When you are in a hurry, SMA EV Charger enables charging with the maximum available charging power and up to ten times faster than a conventional household socket*. For this, the electric vehicle charger can use utility grid or solar power.

*EVC22-3AC-10

PV-optimized charging

If you have time to spare, SMA EV Charger enables affordable, CO- neutral charging with sustainable electricity from your own PV system. For emission-free mobility at minimal costs.

Forecast-based charging

When you enter the charging target (departure time and amount of electricity to be charged) in the SMA Energy app, Sunny Home Manager intelligently schedules charging. This enables charging at minimal cost and with the peace of mind that your vehicle will be ready to go.

Everything under control

Everything from a single source

Thanks to the SMA Energy app, system owners have all the relevant information about their systems at the ready at all times. This ensures greater transparency thanks to up-to-date information about the charging process and maximum control through configuration of the charging mode.

Highly convenient: Simply enter when you want your car to be ready and the app starts the charging process automatically.

Learn more

Ease and comfort

This highly intelligent system always takes all loads into account during charging and prevents the home connection from becoming overloaded. Automatic adjustment of the charge power, even when multiple loads are in use simultaneously, ensures smooth operation at all times. This means that users always benefit from the maximum available power that the house connection and vehicle allow. With SMA Smart Connected, SMA is the first manufacturer to offer free, automatic monitoring of the charging station, which allows installers to provide customers with quick and targeted service.

  • Reliable thanks to power outage protection

  • Integrated direct current failure monitoring reduces installation costs

  • Safe investment through integrated SMA Smart Connected service

System configuration with SMA EV Charger

With Sunny Design, you can plan your tailor-made PV system in just a few clicks.

Planning tool Sunny Design

With Sunny Design, you can plan your tailor-made PV system in just a few clicks.

Plan your system now

Do you have any questions?

If you have any questions, please contact SMA.

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SMA EV Charger 7.4 / 22

Release Notes

Note:

If you have activated the automatic software update function in the SMA EV Charger, the update will be performed without any further action. Otherwise you must temporarily reactivate the automatic update function in order to perform the update. Please note that this version is being updated in stages. Not all SMA EV Chargers will receive the update at the same time.

Version 1.02.23.R (April 2022)

Performance feature:

  • Multi-EVC operation with up to 3 SMA EV Chargers on one Sunny Home Manager 2.0 (≥ 2.08.5.R)
  • Authorization of charging processes via the SMA Energy app (Android/iOS ≥ 1.12.X.R)
  • Dimmable status LEDs (3 levels)
  • Differentiation between event 7605 "Communication error of inverter bridge" and event 7637 "Communication to internal energy meter disrupted"
  • Setting range for the "Nominal current of the point of interconnection" parameter extended to 1000 A


Bug fix:

  • Boost function can be used even if the max. charging power is limited to 11 kW

Version 1.01.35.R (December 2021)

Performance feature:

  • Security vulnerability CVE-2021-44228 (log4S/log4Shell) fixed

Version 1.01.34.R (September 2021)

Bug fix:

  • SMA EV Charger freezes sporadically/all LEDs off/WebUI not available

Version 1.01.31.R (June 2021)

Performance feature:

  • Support for a new, internal energy meter hardware to ensure delivery capability

Version 1.01.30.R (March 2021)

Bug fix:

  • Support for a batch of internal energy meters with incorrect configuration

Version 1.01.28.R (January 2021)

Performance feature:

  • Possibility to download diagnostic data via the WebUI for analysis by SMA Service
  • Improved car/vehicle wake-up
  • Optimization of the data transmission of the live values to the SMA Energy App


Bug fix:

  • Relay error detection (event 7702)
  • Unwanted watchdog error after update

Version 1.01.22.R (November 2020)

Bug fix:

  • Communication error in inverter bridge (event 7605)

Version 1.01.20.R (October 2020)

Performance feature:

  • Support for SingleCast subscription mechanism to Energy Meter

Version 1.01.17.R (August 2020)

Performance feature:

  • Fast charging, PV-optimized charging and forecast-based charging (configuration of charging target)
  • Automatic phase-switching for maximum use of solar energy
  • Higher level of safety thanks to power outage protection
  • Boost function for standard-compliant, single-phase charging with up to 7.4 kW
  • Compatibility with Sunny Home Manager 2.0 (≥ 2.04.11.R)
  • SMA Smart Connected
  • Visualization and control via SMA Energy app

SMA EV Charger 7.4 / 22

Downloads

[Translate to English:] Betriebsanleitung

Operating manual

The operating manual is also available as

eManual

SMA EV Charger 7.4 / 22

FAQ

I don't have a Sunny Home Manager 2.0. Can I still use SMA EV Charger?

SMA EV Charger was developed for use with the Sunny Home Manager 2.0. This configuration also allows you to use intelligent charging management. However, even without the Sunny Home Manager 2.0, SMA EV Charger can be used as a standard wallbox and easily integrated into a PV system later on.


How do I use SMA EV Charger as a standard wallbox?

When setting up the system, simply deselect the option “operation with grid-connection point meter”. Note, however, that visualization in the Sunny Portal and SMA Energy app and all the functions that come with SMA Energy System Home are available only in conjunction with the Sunny Home Manager 2.0.


Is the previous version – Sunny Home Manager (Bluetooth) – also compatible with SMA EV Charger?

In principle, SMA EV Charger can also be operated in combination with the Sunny Home Manager BT, but with some restrictions: For example, SMA EV Charger does not appear in the device overview in the Sunny Portal; the control steps are much bigger; no events are transported to the system logbook; SMA Smart Connected is not available; visualization and control via the SMA Energy app are not possible. Forecast-based charging then has to be configured indirectly using the parameter settings on the device’s user interface. If you want to make full use of the intelligent charging options, you should thus consider using the Sunny Home Manager 2.0.


How many SMA EV Charger can I operate with one Sunny Home Manager 2.0?

With software update 1.02.23.R for the SMA EV Charger, up to three SMA EV Chargers are now supported on one Sunny Home Manager 2.0 (≥ 2.08.5.R) in multi-EVS mode. This will allow the SMA EV Chargers to be visualized and controlled via the SMA Energy app.

Three-phase system with up to 3 SMA EV Chargers

The 5 m charging cable supplied as standard is too short for my application. Does SMA also offer longer charging cables?

Charging cables of 7.5 m and 10.0 m in length have been available as options since August 2021. Installers can order the cables as spare parts through the SMA Online Shop and retrofit them to existing systems. System operators should contact their installers directly, as the SMA Online Shop is intended for use by solar power professionals only.


SMA EV Charger has two switch positions, but offers three different charging modes. How can I switch between them?

You can switch between fast charging and optimized charging using the rotary switch on the SMA EV Charger enclosure. Note, however, that you cannot configure fast charging mode via the SMA Energy app. If you set the rotary switch to the optimized switch position, SMA EV Charger will begin PV-optimized charging by default. Alternatively, you can then set a desired charging target via the SMA Energy app.


The documentation contains frequent references to the “slider.” Where can I find this, and what does it do?

You can find the “slider” in the Sunny Portal by choosing load characteristics > optional energy requirements. In optimized charging mode, your electric vehicle will be charged with the minimum share of solar energy for SMA EV Charger. Depending on how your system is configured, for example, you should allow 20% grid-supplied power to ensure that the Sunny Home Manager 2.0 also performs scheduling for small PV systems or can take into account variable weather conditions. Rather than a static value, this figure is more of a target that the Sunny Home Manager 2.0 will aim to achieve throughout the day.


I have configured the slider for SMA EV Charger in the Sunny Portal for 100% PV power generation, but the SMA Energy app still shows only a small amount of grid-supplied power. Why is this?

The Sunny Home Manager 2.0 regulates SMA EV Charger at one-minute intervals. Especially when conditions are variable, this may result in a discrepancy with respect to the actual level of PV power generation. So even if you have set 100% power generation, it is still possible that only a small amount of charging power is actually drawn from the utility grid. In addition, planning is done by the Sunny Home Manager 2.0 based on a schedule (hypothesis). Regular changes due to unforeseen events are absolutely normal.


What are the different sources of energy used for charging my vehicle in the different charging modes?

During fast charging, the vehicle is charged with the maximum power that the vehicle and house allow. Any energy source is used here, so the system could potentially be drawing power from the home storage system to charge your vehicle.

During PV-optimized charging, SMA EV Charger charges the vehicle with the energy mix saved in the Sunny Portal (slider). Charging of battery prior to optional loads checkmark decides whether the battery or OPTIONAL load is supplied with the surplus solar power initially. Depending on how the slider is set, energy from the home storage system or utility grid can also be used to charge the vehicle.

During forecast-based charging, surplus solar energy is initially used for achieving the charging target configured in the SMA Energy app. If not enough of this energy is available for achieving the charging target, the home storage system is used. Once the home storage system is used up, the energy is drawn from the utility grid.


Is SMA EV Charger suitable for bidirectional charging? Will a DC charger be available?

SMA EV Charger is designed for unidirectional AC charging of the electric vehicle in accordance with IEC 61851-1. Bidirectional DC charging at home is therefore not possible. This is prevented in particular by regulatory conditions. In addition, the galvanic isolation prescribed by the applicable standards results in high original costs for charging solutions. Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly offering vehicle models with communication in accordance with ISO 15118, thereby potentially enabling bidirectional applications. SMA is monitoring developments in this area with great interest.


Under what conditions can I receive KfW 440 funding for SMA EV Charger?

SMA EV Charger 22 is eligible for funding. When setting up your system, the solar power professional has to limit the device to a charging power of 11 kW (see manufacturer’s declaration the product page download area*). In addition, all the power for charging the electric vehicle has to come from renewable energies. This can be demonstrated by either concluding a green electricity contract (e.g., SMA JOIN) or submitting a self-declaration that the vehicle is charged exclusively using self-generated solar power. Once your request has been approved by the KfW, you have to install your system within nine months and submit the necessary documentation.


My SMA EV Charger does not begin charging until a large amount of surplus power is available. The vehicle is not charged if only a small amount of surplus photovoltaic power is available. Why might this be?

When SMA EV Charger is installed, it is vital that the charging cable supplied is connected as shown in our manual. If the lines are not connected as shown there, single-phase charging cannot start. Three-phase charging begins only when a large amount of surplus power is available. The charging cable must be installed only by an electrically qualified person.


I have restricted SMA EV Charger to 11 kW. Why doesn’t it perform single-phase charging with more than 3.5 kW now?

This is because the maximum charging power of the SMA EV Charger is currently restricted based on current. When restricted to 11 kW, the maximum charging current of the device is 16 A. To prevent the device’s fuse protection level being exceeded, single-phase charging of the vehicle will not exceed 3.5 kW either.

With software update 1.02.23.R, single-phase charging at up to 7.4 kW is possible even if the SMA EV Charger is restricted to 11 kW, provided that the electrical installation permits (e.g., line cross-section, fuse protection). The fuse protection of the electric circuit for the SMA EV Charger is the determining factor in this case (see AC current restriction parameter).

Charging settings - SMA EV Charger

I want to charge my vehicle up to a maximum of 80% SOC (state of charge). How can I set this?

The SoC of the vehicle battery is not transmitted to the vehicle via PWM communication (pulse width modulation) as standard during charging in accordance with IEC 61851-1. The SMA EV Charger therefore has no current information on the state of charge of the vehicle battery and cannot use this information to optimize energy management.


Can the charger read the state of charge (SOC) of the connected vehicle via powerline communication (PLC)?

No, because there is no standard transmission of the SoC via PWM communication (pulse width modulation) from the vehicle to the charging station.


Which conditions have to be fulfilled so that the integrated boost function can be used?

The integrated boost function enables single-phase charging with up to 7.4 kW. The integrated symmetry feature ensures that the country-specific unbalanced load limit (4.6 kW in Germany) is adhered to at all times. This is possible, however, only when a single-phase (battery) inverter is connected in the same phase as SMA EV Charger. A three-phase inverter feeding into the grid is not sufficient here. Alternatively, large loads can be connected in the other two phases. The boost function itself does not need to be activated. As soon as solar power is available and the necessary conditions have been fulfilled, power from the utility grid and solar power are automatically combined for faster charging.


SMA EV Charger ensures greater safety for my house connection. Which parameter can be used as a reference here?

Thanks to power outage protection, SMA EV Charger can be easily integrated into an existing energy system at any time. Optimal utilization of the available connection capacity means that the house connection does not need to be expanded. When multiple loads are operated in parallel, SMA EV Charger automatically and dynamically reduces the charging power of the electric vehicle before a critical overload is reached, which prevents fuses from blowing. When the solar power professional sets up the system, the nominal current of the selective main miniature circuit breaker and not the SMA EV Charger fuse protection should be specified under “nominal current of the point of interconnection”.


I drive a Renault ZOE. What minimum charging current do I have to set?

As standard, the minimum charging current is set to 6 A (in accordance with IEC 61851-1). Depending on the vehicle connected, this may need to be changed. Due to its internal charging electronics, the Renault ZOE charges without any issues only from a charging current of 10 A. Ask your vehicle manufacturer about the minimum charging current for your vehicle. Any change to this value also affects the start of charging and the switching threshold of automatic phase-switching.


People always think that the electric vehicle’s on-board charger is destroyed during automatic phase-switching. How does SMA EV Charger deal with this?

Automatic phase-switching by SMA EV Charger enables maximum utilization of self-generated solar power. This poses no danger to the electric vehicle’s on-board charger because there is a 120-second changeover pause between single- and three-phase charging – in other words, active single-phase charging is stopped and three-phase charging is activated after a short wait. An integrated hysteresis prevents constant switching between the phases.

SMA phase-switching is like a manual interruption in the charging process and causes no vehicle damage when the equipment is properly installed and configured (relay switchover time).


My SMA EV Charger has been installed at a location that can also be accessed by third parties. How can I prevent possible charging by unauthorized third parties?

With SMA EV Charger software update 1.02.23.R, it is possible to approve each charging operation via the SMA Energy App (Android/iOS ≥ 1.12.X.R). To do this, simply enable the “Charging release via app” parameter once in the commissioning wizard or later via your device’s user interface. After that, each charging process will need to be approved manually via the SMA Energy App before it can begin after you plug in your electric vehicle. Charging approval will apply to the entire charging process until you unplug your electric vehicle. The charging approval option is available to all persons registered as users in the Sunny Portal system as well as for all SMA EV Chargers already installed.

Charging release via app - SMA EV Charger

If no digital signal source (e.g., ripple control receiver, remote terminal unit) is connected, there is the alternative option of using the digital inputs of the SMA EV Charger to connect an external key switch. This means that an external key switch can be connected to the fast stop and configured during commissioning via Grid management services > Active power control. This ensures that charging will not start until it has been approved.

Configure active power control only if a digital signal source is connected to the digital inputs of the SMA EV Charger. Without this, the SMA EV Charger will not charge the vehicle because it is still waiting for charging approval via the digital inputs. Activation of the function can be found in the log book of the Sunny Portal as the “Active power limitation / Fast stop active” message.


Does the SMA EV Charger allows me to settle charging costs via my employer or tax office?

SMA EV Charger is implemented with an MID-compliant energy meter, but is not suitable for billing purposes (e.g., settlement via your employer or tax office) due to its systemic integration into the energy system. See terms of use for the Sunny Portal, Section VII.


I use SMA EV Charger 22. When I insert the charging cable into our ID.3 but do not want charging to start immediately, charging does not start at all. The wallbox seems to “fall asleep” in the process.

This is a known issue with first-generation ID.3 models which can only be solved by a software update of the vehicle. Within the framework of our in-series field tests with various vehicle models, we observed that the vehicles no longer “fall asleep”, even during optimized charging, following the extensive software update 2.1.


During PV surplus charging, the ID.3 “falls asleep” when charging power is temporarily unavailable (e.g., due to a passing cloud or if a washing machine is running). The fault seems to lie with VW here. Is it worth talking to VW about this? According to the VW customer service team, everything is working as it should.

During our in-series field tests, we noticed that the problem with updating the vehicle to version 2.1 has been fixed.


Why is SMA EV Charger more expensive than other wallboxes?

Charging with the SMA EV Charger is not only about charging the electric vehicle, but rather the fact that the solar power generated from your system can be used intelligently for this purpose. E-mobility is only sustainable when the charging current comes from renewable energy sources. Thus, it is the intelligence of the SMA EV Charger that makes the device slightly more expensive than standard wallboxes at first glance. However, it enables you to make the best possible use of your valuable solar power through intelligent functions such as automatic phase-switching. As a result, you can charge sustainably at an unbeatable low cost. Using the flexible charging modes, you can decide for yourself anytime whether you want your car to be ready to go quickly or whether you simply want to charge it in a particularly sustainable and affordable way.


Does the charger cause radio interference, potentially causing problems with amateur radio operators or the German Federal Network Agency?

SMA EV Charger meets the normative requirements for radio systems. The relevant EU Declaration of Conformity can be found in the download area of our product page.


Why is the charger not in the car?

The charger itself (AC on-board charger) is integrated in the vehicle. A wallbox / charging station is required to ensure compliance with the safety functions and control the charging process.


SMA EV Charger 7.4 / 22

TechTip

Information on commissioning the SMA EV Charger – Part 1

In this video we will show you a few things you should keep in mind when connecting and commissioning the SMA EV Charger. Additionally, take a look at the blog post concerning FAQs: www.sma-sunny.com/en/sma-ev-charger-your-questions-our-answers/


Information on commissioning the SMA EV Charger – Part 2

In this video we present the continuation to part 1 of the instructions for commissioning the SMA EV Charger. Part 1 can be found here.
To complement this, also check out our blog post on Multi-EVC operation, authorizing charging processes via the SMA Energy App, dimmable status LEDs and much more: Service tip: SMA EV Charger etc. – The Benefits of the Latest Updates - Sunny. SMA Corporate Blog (sma-sunny.com)


Tech Tip: Commissioning SMA EV Charger 7.4/22

SMA EV Charger is a wallbox for intelligent, fast and cost-effective charging of electric vehicles with solar power. In this Screencast our technical trainer Jan Roessler explains how to commission the SMA EV Charger 7.4/22.


How to add SMA EV Charger 7.4/22 to Sunny Portal

SMA EV Charger is a wallbox for intelligent, fast and cost-effective charging of electric vehicles with solar power. In this Screencast our technical trainer Jan Roessler explains how to add the SMA EV Charger 7.4/22 to an existing plant with Sunny Home Manager 2.0 in Sunny Portal.


LET`S TALK ENERGY – Standard-compliant initial testing of charging stations

This video is the recorded live stream of the energy-packed SMA LET`S TALK ENERGY 2021 event series broadcast live from the new SMA studio in Kassel (Germany), in June 2021. In the second half of the recording, the standard-compliant initial testing of charging stations is demonstrated using the SMA EV Charger.

An exemplary test protocol according to IEC 61851 can be found here.