Solar for Car Showrooms, Workshops and Service Centres

This guide covers new and used car showrooms, dealership service centres, independent workshops, tyre and alignment shops and car washes in Punjab.

Three sites under one name

A "car business" can have very different loads. The table shows the main types.

Many dealerships combine all three on one site and one connection.

Diagram

Car showrooms and workshops

Showroom

Lights and ACs by day

Workshop

Compressors, lifts and tools

Showrooms: cooling a glass box

A showroom is designed to be seen, which means large glass fronts that let in heat. Air conditioning is usually the largest load, and it peaks in the early afternoon, close to peak solar output.

• Inverter ACs draw less at part load and start gently, which suits solar. See inverter AC vs non-inverter AC on solar.
• Lighting runs all day in most showrooms. LED fittings cut the load before you size solar.
• Evening hours matter. Many showrooms stay open after sunset, when solar has stopped. That evening load is a reason to consider a battery, discussed below.

Workshops: compressors, lifts and starting surges

Workshop loads are not steady. An air compressor or lift motor draws several times its running current for a moment when it starts. On a grid-connected system the grid supplies most of that surge, so on-grid solar handles it easily. On a hybrid system running from battery during load-shedding, the inverter must supply the surge on its own.

What we check:

1. Motor sizes and starting method. A large compressor on direct-on-line starting creates a bigger surge than one with a soft starter or VFD.
2. Which loads need backup. It is rarely sensible to put the main compressor on battery backup. Reception, the service desk, lighting and diagnostic equipment are better candidates.
3. Three-phase balance. Workshops often have three-phase motors next to single-phase sockets and ACs. Solar output and backup circuits must be spread evenly across phases. See three-phase vs single-phase inverters.
4. Maximum demand. If several big motors start together, they set your MDI for the month on a larger connection. Staggering starts helps more than any solar plant. See what MDI means on your bill.
5. Protection. Each machine circuit needs correct breakers and earth-leakage protection; see breakers and protection.

Paint booths and baking ovens often use gas or diesel burners for heat. Solar can run their fans, lights and controls, but not the burners.

EV chargers: the new load on the forecourt

Dealerships that sell electric or plug-in hybrid cars need chargers for demo cars, delivery preparation and customers. Independent workshops servicing EVs need them too. A charger is a large, continuous load, often 7 kW or more per car, so it belongs in the solar design from the start.

• Charge in solar hours. Demo and service cars are usually on site during the day, which is when surplus solar is available. Scheduling charging for midday uses your own solar instead of exporting it at the lower net billing rate.
• Load sharing. Several chargers on one connection need load management so the total stays inside your sanctioned load.
• Separate circuits and protection. Each charger gets its own protected circuit.

Solar Works Pakistan installs EV chargers as a service. See our EV charger installation page, and charging an EV with solar for the energy arithmetic.

Using the forecourt and roof

Showroom roofs are often small, flat and crowded with AC outdoor units, while the forecourt or customer parking is large.

• Roof: an elevated structure can lift panels above AC units and keep service access clear.
• Parking and display area: a solar canopy shades cars on display and customer vehicles, and generates power at the same time. Shade also keeps paint and interiors cooler. See solar carports and canopies.
• Workshop sheds: many service bays have metal sheet roofs. Panels need a structure fixed to the purlins, not just the sheet, and a check of the shed's strength.

Tariffs, net billing and the evening hours

Showrooms are usually billed as commercial consumers. Workshops and service centres may be commercial or, in some cases, industrial, depending on the connection. Our commercial solar guide explains commercial tariffs.

Under net billing, units you use on site save your full tariff, while exported units earn much less. Net billing is available to three-phase 400 V and 11 kV consumers, and the system cannot exceed your sanctioned load. See our net metering and net billing guide and sizing under net billing.

A battery earns its place when it has a clear job:

• Evening showroom hours that fall in the tariff peak.
• Load-shedding backup for the service desk, billing, lighting and diagnostics.
• Reducing generator use at sites that run a generator during outages. See solar and generator hybrid systems.

If none of these apply, on-grid solar alone is often enough. Our hybrid vs on-grid vs off-grid guide helps you choose.

Example: estimating self-use

Example arithmetic only, with round illustrative numbers. Suppose a dealership uses 400 units on a normal working day, with about 300 of them between 9 AM and 5 PM. A solar plant that produces around 250 units on a typical day would be used almost entirely on site on working days. On a closed day, if the site uses only 50 units in daylight, about 200 units would be exported at the lower rate. Count your closed days and evening hours honestly before deciding the size. This is a method, not a forecast.

Shifting flexible loads such as car washing, EV charging and compressor-heavy jobs into midday raises self-use further. See solar load management.

Showroom and workshop solar price

Our projects start at about 6 kW.

How Solar Works Pakistan delivers commercial projects

Solar Works Pakistan is a solar EPC, engineering and trading company founded in 2021, headquartered in Faisalabad with a branch in Lahore. We have served 300+ customers, including 50+ industrial clients, throughout Punjab.

• In-house engineering, including load analysis and AutoCAD design of roof and canopy structures.
• Our own teams for installation, testing, safe commissioning and handover.
• Panels, inverters and batteries carry the manufacturer's warranty per product. Structures carry our 3-year structure warranty, and our service warranty covers the first year under applicable project terms.
• After a complaint is registered, we target sending service personnel within 48 hours to begin diagnosis.

Small projects are normally completed in about a week, subject to payment, stock and site readiness. See industrial and commercial solar for larger sites.

Get today's price or a free site survey

Send 12 months of bills, your opening hours, a list of major machines (compressor, lifts, wash pumps) and photos of the roof and forecourt.

• WhatsApp or call: 0336 666 4321
• Email: info@solarworks.pk
• Head office: Main Boulevard, Sargodha Rd, Block F FDA City, Faisalabad (Faisalabad page)
• Lahore branch: 2nd Floor, Jeff Heights, Gulberg, Lahore (Lahore page)
• Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, daily
• Service area: all of Punjab. You can also contact us online.

Frequently asked questions

Is solar worth it for a car showroom?

Usually, because a showroom's biggest load is air conditioning in daylight hours, when solar produces most. The case is weaker if most trading happens after sunset or the roof and forecourt are heavily shaded.

Can solar run a workshop air compressor?

Yes. On a grid-connected system the grid helps with the starting surge, so there is no problem. On battery backup, the inverter must be sized for the compressor's starting current, which is why we usually keep large compressors off the backup circuits.

Can we charge EVs at the showroom from solar?

Yes. Demo and service cars are on site during the day, so charging can be scheduled for solar hours. We install the chargers, protect each circuit and manage the total load. See our EV charger installation page.

Should a showroom install solar on the roof or over the parking?

Often both. The roof is usually small and crowded with AC units, while a canopy over parking or the display area adds space and shades the cars. The choice depends on structure, cost and how much load you need to cover.

Do we need a battery?

Only if it has a clear job: evening opening hours in the tariff peak, backup for the front office during load-shedding, or cutting generator use. A site that trades mainly in daylight with reliable grid may need on-grid solar only.

Can solar heat a paint booth?

Not the burner, which normally uses gas or diesel. Solar can run the booth's fans, lighting and controls, which are electrical loads.

Sources

Net billing facts are reused from our net metering and net billing guide, which lists its sources, including the NEPRA (Prosumer) Regulations, 2026, SRO 251(I)/2026: https://ke.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/8.-NEPRA-Prosumer-Regulations-SRO-251I2026-09-02-26.pdf