“Silicon Valley electric-vehicle automaker Tesla Motors is expanding its presence beyond luxury cars with plans to produce a wall-mounted battery pack designed to store renewable energy in the home,” Nathan Bomey reports for The Detroit Free Press. “Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the Tesla Powerwall unit in an event late Thursday in California that was live streamed online. The unit, he said, would go into small-scale production in three to four months at the company’s Fremont, Calif., plant. Next year it will hit production at the company’s currently-under-construction battery factory in Nevada. Customers can place orders online.”
“The reveal of the Tesla Powerwall underscores the company’s transition from electric-vehicle designer and manufacturer into advanced energy device company,” Bomey reports. “The lithium-ion, software-equipped Tesla Powerwall comes in two versions: a 7 kilowatt-hour pack for $3,000 and a 10 kilowatt-hour pack for $3,500. Those fees don’t include installation. Either version will power a typical U.S. home during peak evening hours, the company said.”
“Lux Research analysts said the actual cost of a Powerwall system could be double the sticker price when including installation and the price of an inverter, among other costs. The system works indoors or outdoors and has a 10-year warranty. It starts at 220 pounds and measures 52.1 inches by 33.9 by 7.1,” Bomey reports. “The device is designed to allow homeowners with solar panels on their roofs to store electricity generated throughout the day for use at night or during power outages.”
“Musk also revealed a bigger version of the battery pack for use in energy storage for utilities, which are scrambling to meet renewable energy requirements throughout the U.S.,” Bomey reports. “That system is called the Tesla Energy. Amazon and Target have signed up for pilots… Musk blasted current home battery options for consumers, saying Tesla’s device would look nicer and operate more efficiently. ‘The issue with existing batteries is that they suck. They’re really horrible,’ he said.
MacDailyNews Take: Wonder who he cribbed that from?
“With his typical dash of showmanship, Musk revealed to a giddy crowd that, in fact, the room where the news conference was taking place had been running on battery power generated from solar panels,” Bomey reports. “‘So this entire night — everything you’re experiencing — is stored sunlight,’ Musk said as the crowd shrieked.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Ed Begley, Jr. is going to need a change of pants.
Powerwall is a home battery that charges using electricity generated from solar panels, or when utility rates are low, and powers your home in the evening. It also fortifies your home against power outages by providing a backup electricity supply. Powerwall offers both independence from the utility grid and the security of an emergency backup. Power companies often charge a higher price for electricity during peak evening hours than overnight when demand is low. Powerwall can reduce your power bill by storing electricity when rates are low and powering your home when rates are high.
So, will you be buying a Tesla Powerwall unit?
More info: teslamotors.com/powerwall
