Powerwall 3 vs Powerwall 2

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.