After months of speculation, Tesla has officially broadened its home energy ecosystem with the highly anticipated release of the Tesla Powerwall 3 battery. Set to revolutionise Tesla’s home energy system, Powerwall 3 is able to retain more power than any other major solar battery on the UK market, heightening the anticipation. As 2024 unfolds, we edge closer to the exciting prospect of installing this new Tesla Powerwall battery.
Read on to discover more about the much anticipated Tesla Powerwall 3, including price and the how the Powerwall 3 compares to Powerwall 2!
What to expect from the Tesla Powerwall 3
Naturally, the new Powerwall will be able to provide Emergency Power Supply (EPS) to your home in the event of a power cut and will still allow users to charge from off-peak rates through it’s time based control. The most exciting new feature Tesla have announced for the Powerwall 3 is that the battery will include an integrated hybrid inverter. This essentially means that Tesla Powerwall 3 isn’t a replacement or upgrade for the Powerwall 2, but a different product entirely.
With a total of 6 possible MPPT String inputs, Tesla Powerwall 3 allows you to install more solar panels, with the possibility of 6 independant orientations and the potential for better shade mitigation.
Powerwall 3 is a fully integrated solar and battery system, designed to meet the needs of your home. It has been designed for easy installation and expansion with everything you need in a single unit for great efficiency. Overall, the Powerwall 3 is broadly the same size as Powerwall 2, but is slightly deeper, and comes with a shiny new glowing logo.
Tesla Powerwall 3 Specifications
| Telsa Powerwall 3 | |
|---|---|
| Battery Capacity (kWh) | 13.5kWh |
| Continuous Power Output | 11.5kW |
| Round Trip Efficiency | 97.5% |
| Inverter | Integrated Hybrid Inverter Included with 6 MPPT Strings |
| Back Up Power | 11.5 kW peak, 150A LRA motor start. Seamless Backup Transition |
| Weather Resistance | -20°C to 50°C |
| Mounting | Wall or Floor Mounted |
| Size | 1100 mm in x 610 mm x 193 mm |
| Weight | 130 kg |
| Scalability | 40.5kWh Max Addition Per Unit |
| Warranty | 10 |
What Sets the Powerwall 3 and Powerwall 2 Apart?
-
More Power
Although the Powerwall 3 retains the same 13.5kWh capacity as the Powerwall 2, the battery has been greatly upgraded in terms of the amount of power it can provide. With a 11.5kW continuous output power, compared to Powerwall 2, the latest Tesla battery can deliver 6.5kW more power to your home. This makes it the perfect solution for homeowners with a high demanding load, suitable for ASHP, Electric Vehicles, Showers and so on.
-
Built-In Inverter
Whilst the Tesla Powerwall 2 comes with an integrated AC Controller, making it the perfect solution for homeowners looking for a stand alone battery system or to retrofit a battery storage system, the new Tesla Powerwall 3 includes an integrated hybrid inverter. This means that Tesla Powerwall 3 can handle both input directly from your solar panels, as well as input from your battery. Tesla Powerwall 3 can handle up to six solar inputs, facilitating a highly-efficient solar-to-grid conversion, making it the perfect solution for homeowners looking to install a brand new solar panel system.
This means that in comparison Powerwall 2 can be added to existing solar systems, and is compatible with all major solar inverters, supporting various system sizes, Powerwall 3 is a Tesla only system.
-
More Efficient
Whereas previously homeowners would have to install a different brand of string inverter alongside Tesla Powerwall 2, Tesla’s Powerwall 3 now enables a one-brand ecosystem, for seamless integration and superior efficiency, as a DC coupled system. As the Powerwall 2 is an AC-coupled system, this means that any stored energy has to be inverted on three separate occasions (DC to AC to DC), whereas with the new Powerwall 3 the energy is only inverted once from DC to AC as the solar can be connected directly.
As a result, the Powerwall 3 reportedly has industry leading round-trip efficiency at 97.5%, meaning your system will be able to retain more power than any other major battery brands on the UK market. Interestingly, this is the same efficiency as the Powerwall+ battery, which was unfortunately never released in the UK, only the US market.
Tesla Powerwall 3 vs Powerwall 2 Comparision
| Telsa Powerwall 3 | Tesla Powerwall 2 | Tesla Powerwall + | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Capacity | 13.5kWh | 13.5kWh | 13.5kWh |
| Round Trip Efficiency | 97.5% | 90% | 97.5% |
| Back Up Power | 11.5 kW peak, 150A LRA motor start. Seamless Backup Transition | 7kW peak / 5kW Continuous, 106A LRA motor start Seamless Backup Transition | 9.6kW / 7kW continuous 22kW / 10kW peak 118A LRA motor start Seamless Backup Transition |
| Inverter | Integrated Hybrid Inverter Included 6 solar inputs with Maximum Power Point Trackers | Integrated AC Controller Included | Integrated Hybrid Inverter Included 4 solar inputs with Maximum Power Point Trackers |
| On Grid Power | 11.5kW Continuous | 7kW peak / 5kW Continuous | 7.6kVA / 5.8kVa Continuous |
| Scalability | 40.5kWh Max Addition Per Unit | Up to 10 Powerwalls | - |
| Size | 1100 mm in x 610 mm x 193 mm | 1150 mm x 753 mm x 147 mm | 1600 mm × 755 mm x 160 mm |
| Warranty | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Weight | 130 kg | 125 kg | 156 kg |
Frequently Asked Questions About Tesla Powerwall 3
-
What Chemistry does the Tesla Powerwall 3 Use?
While many of the other solar battery options on the market use LFP (Lithium Ferro Phosphate), Tesla is known for using LNMC (Lithium Manganese Cobalt), attributing its choice to higher power density and lower weight.
If we compare the Tesla Powerwall to the Givenergy All In One Battery, although the Givenergy battery also has a 13.5kWh capacity, it weighs a whopping 173kg. Though the official confirmation on the Powerwall 3’s battery chemistry is pending, the Powerwall 3’s weight, at 130.18kg for 13.5kWh, suggests the use of LNMC chemistry.
-
When will Tesla Powerwall 3 be available?
The Powerwall 3 is set to be available at the start of 2024 for those in the US. As for the UK, Tesla Powerwall 3 is expected to be available in Europe in winter 2024.
However this doesn’t mean that you can’t still consider a Tesla battery solution now for your solar installation, as the Powerwall 2 is still a great ready available option, and may even be the better solution in some cases.
-
What is the Warranty Period for Tesla Powerwall 3?
Tesla Powerwall 3 is covered by a competitive 10-year warranty, which is the same as Powerwall 2.
-
Does Powerwall 3 apply for the £350 rebate?
The £350 rebate offer was only for Powerwall 2 or Powerwall + installations, and ended 31 December 2023.
-
Can I add Powerwall 3 to my Powerwall 2?
No. Unfortunately, Tesla Powerwall 3 can only be installed alongside other Powerwall 3 batteries. This means that it cannot be added to any already existing Powerwall 2 or Powerwall+ battery installations.
-
Can I add Powerwall 3 to my existing solar system?
No. Tesla Powerwall 3 is not compatible with other solar inverters, and therefore is designed for new installations rather than existing solar panel installations. If you have an existing solar panel installation that you would like to add a Tesla Battery to , then the Powerwall 2 is your best bet.
-
How much does the Tesla Powerwall 3 cost?
Although the price of the Powerwall 3 has not been announced yet, given it’s direct comparison with the Powerwall 2, our team would expect the price of the Tesla Powerwall 3 to sit between £10,000 and £14,00 fully installed, excluding VAT, thanks to the Governments recent 0% VAT on battery installations announcement. For reference, our team currently installs Tesla Powerwall 2 from £8000.
-
When should I talk to my Certified Installer about Powerwall 3?
At Deege Solar, as one of the leading Tesla powerwall installers in the UK, our team will of course be installing the new Tesla battery as soon as it becomes available. To hear the latest news about Tesla Powerwall 3 make sure you are following us across our social media platforms, and to fill out our short form below so that we can add you to our Powerwall 3 mailing list. Don’t miss out!
