Charged up and ready to role.  So how do you fuel your EV dream financially? Read our guide to explore the different financing options to get you on your journey to low cost, low emission motoring.

One of the biggest myths surrounding EVs is that their battery packs will need frequent replacement.  This is simply not true!!

At the recent Everything Electric expo in Sydney, Robert Llewellyn caught up with Nigel Raynard of Byron Bay Luxury Tesla.

Nigel has driven over 700,000 kilometres in his 2017 Tesla Model S. 

• He had no issues with the battery until the car reached 666,666 kilometres.
• The brake pads were first changed at 460,000 kilometres.
• The car has only been serviced 5 times.

​The average Australian motorist covers 12,000 km per annum, which at this rate would give them a whopping 55 years’ worth of battery life!!

The much-anticipated Tesla Powerwall 3 has just been released in the US.  The Powerwall 3 is the latest version of Tesla’s home battery system.

This sleek, powerful battery system lets you store solar energy, gain independence from the power grid, and even provide power to your home during outages.

What are the key similarities and differences to the Powerwall 2?

Power storage and power output
Both the Powerwall 2 and Powerwall 3 have 13.5 kWh of storage capacity.  However, the power output of the Powerwall 3 is improved significantly increasing from 5 kW to 11.5 kW.  While big loads will soon drain the battery, this does however mean you will avoid hitting the grid if you run multiple appliances concurrently e.g. the kettle, toaster and oven.

Charging of the Powerwall 3 is limited to 5 kW like the Powerwall 2.

In-built solar inverter
Perhaps the biggest game changer with the Powerwall 3 is the integrated solar inverter allowing solar to be connected directly for high efficiency. 

The in-built inverter is rated at 11 kW meaning it can convert up to 11.5 kW of solar energy from your panels into usable electricity for your home.  As the battery can also charge at 5 kW, the system has a total capacity of 16.5 kW. 

Under the Clean Energy Council rules in Australia, which state that panel capacity cannot exceed inverter capacity by more than 33%, the Powerwall 3 could potentially support up to 20 kW of solar panel capacity without the need to purchase a separate inverter.

Price
The Powerwall 3 is not yet available in Australia, however in the US it is priced similar to the Powerwall 2.  This in effect represents a significant value add for the consumer given the built in inverter which could save thousands of dollars on the cost of an overall system. 

Compatibility
Be aware, Tesla Powerwall 3 is not compatible with the Powerwall 2.  As at the date of this article, Tesla has made no announcement to phase out the Powerwall 2.  But if you are a Powerwall 2 owner and want to add more capacity then you should monitor any such announcements closely.  

Imagine going on a road trip and before your return journey you stop to fill up with petrol. Now instead of paying $2 per litre someone pays you for the petrol you put in your car, and this petrol burns clean emitting no carbon dioxide or carcinogenic compounds.

That’s the power of an EV combined with solar and Amber Electric.

After arriving at a hotel I plugged my car in to charge at an Exploren charger, costing $0.33 per kWh. At the same time my solar and battery system is exporting power at an average rate of $0.46 per kWh.

I set my car to charge at the same rate that my solar/battery exports; so green electrons are going into the grid at the same rate and same time that I am taking them out.  So I’m in effect being paid to charge my car and the energy being used for driving is still 100% renewable.

Even on a road trip you can still achieve no cost and 100% renewable driving 🙌​

​🚘 Congratulations on joining the EV Revolution!  Here are some top tips to help you smoothly transition to your new vehicle: