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SolarCity teams up with Honda for US customers

A US$65 million fund created to make solar arrays more affordable for Honda customers in the U.S. has been launched today. The fund is the result of a partnership between the carmaker and solar lease provider SolarCity.

Honda dealerships and customers will have the chance to install a SolarCity installation with the assistance of the fund.

SolarCity

Having identified that electric car drivers are more likely to also install a solar array, SolarCity has instigated a program with Honda and Acura dealers to make solar lease plans available for little or no upfront cost.

A $65 million investment fund has been created to fund the SolarCity installations, which will be available for Honda and Acura customers and dealerships. The deal will be available across SolarCity’s 14-state service area.

The firms claim that the deal is the first of its kind for an automobile manufacturer and that it is a step towards photovoltaic-powered charging of cars. "Additionally, Honda and SolarCity will explore opportunities to integrate solar power and electric vehicle recharging, envisioning a future in which Fit EV and Accord Plug-In Hybrid owners will be able to charge their cars from the power of the sun, thereby reducing household CO2 emissions to nearly zero," the statement from the firms reads.

"By making it easier and more affordable for its customers to use clean power, Honda is reinforcing the fact that solar is the new normal," said SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive.

The partnership between the firms will also give homeowners the opportunity to take more energy saving measures, such as installing "weatherization" or installing more energy efficient heating or cooling.