By Umar Shakir , a news writer fond of the electric vehicle lifestyle and things that plug in via USB-C. He spent over 15 years in IT support before joining The Verge.
Tesla introduced its newest home battery backup system, the Powerwall 3, which comes with more power throughput and its own built-in solar inverter. The setup makes for a more vertically integrated home solar power installation for new setups compared to the Powerwall 2, which is just a battery. Inverter Function In Motor
Early details of the Powerwall 3 trickled out in April when we learned it’d come with an easier-to-install process. But the product is still similar to the existing Powerwall 2, starting with the squared-off slate design with a glossy white front. Battery capacity is still 13.5kWh, same as Powerwall 2. There’s now a “T” logo in the front instead of the spelled-out Tesla logo, and it seems to lack the more visually appealing black finishes on the side compared to Powerwall 2.
Powerwall 3, however, won’t require installing a third-party solar inverter to work. And you can skip the slightly more complex Powerwall Plus, which comes with a minimum of two parts to install together in your garage or outside wall.
For expansion, the new Powerwalls can piggyback off of each other for up to 40.5kWh battery capacity. It can accept six solar inputs and continuously handle 11.5kW of power. By comparison, the Powerwall Plus accepts only four solar inputs, and the Powerwall 2 battery handles just 10kW at peak.
Powerwall 3, however, doesn’t play nice with other battery solutions, including Powerwall 2, and can’t work with other solar inverters. It’s also unclear whether Powerwall 3 can be wired to existing solar panels, and Tesla’s FAQs on its Powerwall 3 page do not fully provide an answer.
Last week, Electrek spotted an early Powerwall 3 installation in the wild before it was announced. But even though Tesla has now made the new Powerwall 3 official, it’s not actually available for order until 2024.
Although Interested buyers will have to wait a bit longer for Powerwall 3, Tesla can still sell you a complete system with Powerwall 2, Powerwall Plus, and additionally, with and without solar panels. The existing solutions are also subject to a $500 rebate from the company if installed and registered between June 15th, 2023, and October 31st, 2023 — making Powerwall 3 ineligible.
Powerwall 3 is entering a growing home power backup market where Tesla is already well established. Pricing is not yet available for Powerwall 3, but expect Tesla to carefully quote customers in 2024 to avoid another lawsuit.
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