Tesla Powerwall Review (2024)

Tesla offers two models of solar batteries. See how the Tesla Powerwall 2 and the Powerwall+ compare:

+ Compatible with both new and existing solar panel systems

+ Guarantees a 70% storage capacity at the end of the 10-year warranty period

+ Tesla App offers system monitoring and optimization

+ Has a larger capacity than most solar batteries available today

– Powerwalls must be installed by a Tesla Certified Installer

– Batteries only come in one size

Tesla requires you to use one of the company’s Certified Installers to set up your Powerall. Tesla’s certified professionals can currently install Powerwalls in every U.S. state except Alaska.

The Tesla website has a tool to help you find installers using your ZIP code or address.

You can install your Tesla Powerwalls alongside new solar panels or retrofit the battery into an existing solar system. Here is what a typical Powerwall installation will look like:

1. Find a Certified Installer: Tesla offers a search tool on its website to find a Tesla Certified Installer in your area.
2. Site assessment: A solar professional will conduct a site assessment to determine the best Powerwall model for your home and how many batteries you’ll need.
3. Order your Tesla Powerwall: You can either order your Powerwall directly through the Tesla website or work with your solar installer to order it for you. If you’re using a solar company, you won’t typically need to order a battery yourself.
4. Powerwall installation: Your installation team will mount the Powerwall units on your home or the ground, install any necessary electrical equipment and connect the Powerwall units to your home’s electrical panel.
5. Testing and commissioning: Once the installation is complete, Tesla will test and commission your Powerwall system to ensure it operates correctly, like being able to detect and respond to a power outage as needed.
6. Monitoring and maintenance: Once your Powerwall system is installed and commissioned, Tesla will provide ongoing monitoring and maintenance services. The company will remotely monitor the system’s performance and provide software updates so your battery operates at peak efficiency.

Powerwall Certified Installers

Several major solar panel companies install the Tesla Powerwall, including ADT Solar and Sunrun. If you decide to work with a solar company to install your Powerwall, you probably won’t have to order your own unit through the Tesla website.

On its Powerwall purchase page, Tesla highly recommends you contact an installer for a quote and assessment before placing an order online. Get connected with one of the following Tesla Powerwall installers to get started:

Tesla Powerwall batteries include a 10-year warranty, the industry standard for warranty coverage. This warranty has no cycle limit, meaning your battery can charge and discharge an unlimited number of times and still be covered. The Tesla Powerwall warranty also includes a 70% end-of-warranty capacity, which guarantees your battery will still be able to maintain 70% of its energy capacity after 10 years.

Tesla also provides a four-year workmanship warranty to cover labor for repairs and replacements, including the cost of shipping any necessary parts.

The cost of a Tesla Powerwall starts at $11,500 with installation and $9,200 without installation. However, Tesla offers a bulk-purchase discount when you buy more than one Powerwall at a time, which will decrease your per-unit cost. The Powerwall is also eligible for incentives and rebates like the federal solar tax credit when you connect it to a renewable energy system.

Ultimately, how much your Powerwall system costs will depend on your energy needs and goals, your installer and where you live. Tesla offers loan financing for its solar products, though you may have additional financing options if your Powerwall is installed by a third-party solar company.

For a limited time, you can get $1000 off each Tesla Powerwall you purchase up to $4000 when you use our top tesla certified installer, Sunrun! Get a quote using the panel below.

Tesla Solar has many positive customer reviews that note the sleek design of its solar panels and Powerwall batteries. Many customers also like how their system helps save money on their energy bills. Some negative reviews mentioned poor customer service and a lack of communication.

Read what customers are saying about their Tesla Powerwalls and other Tesla Products:

“It was such a great experience to have [a] Powerwall installed and activated with our solar panels. [With] the same Tesla app we can both manage Tesla cars and visualize our energy production and consumption. We were told by the installer that the Tesla Powerwall and its software are the best in the industry for backup batteries. Now we [are] convinced!”—Eric via ConsumerAffairs

“The communication was excellent from day one. Planning worked without a hiccup and installation was completed as stated. My system was up and running before [Tesla] left the premises. The lead technician provided me with a good introduction to the app and critical parts of the solar and Powerwall system. My system has been generating enough energy as designed, and my power bill is near zero.”—Aziz via ConsumerAffairs

“We had Tesla solar panels and a Powerwall installation after Tesla employees visited the house twice, a design team planned the system, and the site survey team stated where everything would be mounted [and] what was needed. Long story short, [Tesla] made a mistake [with] the size of the system, and after I voiced a concern, suddenly adjusted the plans to what was needed. The design team recommended one Powerwall, and by watching the Tesla app, I can see that [there] is not enough [storage].”—Kevin via ConsumerAffairs

“I entered into an agreement with Tesla Energy to install a 16.3 kW system with four Powerwalls in Sept. 2020. The entire project was plagued by multiple problems. To begin with, [my] Tesla advisor rarely picked up his phone when I called. I had to talk to a different person each time. To compound the problem, most of the reps did not update my case, forcing me to repeat all the details every time I had a conversation with a new rep.”—Quoc via ConsumerAffairs

The Tesla Powerwall and Powerwall+ share many physical similarities but differ when it comes to overall size, weight and energy capacity. Below is a detailed breakdown of each model’s basic features.

Tesla Powerwall Models

Tesla currently offers two Powerwall models: the Tesla Powerwall 2 and Tesla Powerwall+. The key difference is that the Powerwall+ has a built-in solar inverter, making it ideal for new solar installations. The Powerwall 2 is just a battery, meaning it can be retrofitted into most existing solar panel systems — not just Tesla solar systems.

Both storage systems have an energy capacity of 13.5 kWh, a 90% round trip efficiency and a 100% depth of discharge.

Solar Inverter

The Powerwall+ comes with an integrated Tesla solar inverter, making it an excellent all-in-one home battery option for a brand-new system. The inverter, which helps convert stored direct current (DC) energy into the alternate current (AC) power your home needs to run, is a crucial component of all solar energy systems.

On the other hand, the Tesla Powerwall 2 does not have a built-in inverter, but it can easily integrate into an existing solar system. According to Tesla, the battery is compatible with several solar inverter brands, including Enphase, SolarEdge and SMA.

Battery Chemistry

The Tesla Powerwall and the Powerwall+ are lithium-ion batteries — specifically, they are lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) batteries. These batteries are quite popular and have become one of the most common types of home energy storage options.

NMC batteries are known to have a longer lifespan and better performance than other batteries on the market. They have a higher power density, which means they can store a significant amount of your home energy but take up less space. Both batteries can withstand the elements and have operating temperatures between -4°F and 122°F.

Battery Capacity

The Powerwall and the Powerwall+ can store 13.5 kWh of power for your home. This capacity is higher than the typical battery, making it easier for homeowners to store more of their excess energy. Even when sunlight is low, Tesla batteries will continue to draw power from the grid for later consumption.

You can expand your battery capacity by adding extra batteries to your solar power system. A typical home needs at least two Powerwall batteries to provide adequate power to go off-grid. This added protection will ensure you maintain energy independence even when your solar panels are not in use. Tesla states that a Powerwall power system can consist of up to 10 Powerwall batteries.

We found that the Tesla Powerwall’s features met or exceeded several standards for a typical solar battery. We examined the battery’s functionality, efficiency and ease of use along with its baseline storage capacity. Below are the highlights of the Tesla Powerwall’s overall performance.

• Power output: 5.8 kW of continuous power and 10 kW of peak power
• Depth of discharge (DoD): 100%
• Round-trip efficiency: 90%
• Operating modes: Self-consumption, time-based control or backup only

Power Output

The Powerwall has a power output of 5.8 kW of continuous power and 10 kW of peak power. These numbers also reflect the performance capabilities of the Powerwall+ when no sunlight is present. On a completely sunny day, the Powerwall+ gets an added boost, increasing production to 7.6 kW of continuous power and 22 kW of peak power.

Depth of Discharge

Depth of discharge (DoD) measures how much energy you can pull from a battery before affecting its lifespan. Since drawing 100% of a battery’s power would reduce its lifespan faster, many manufacturers keep a lower limit to preserve the battery over time.

However, Tesla’s batteries can withstand complete power drainage without affecting their lifespan. Both Powerwall batteries rate at 100% for the DoD.

Round-Trip Efficiency

Round-trip efficiency measures the percentage of electricity put into storage that you can retrieve to power your system. The higher the round-trip efficiency, the less energy your battery will lose in the storage process.

Both Tesla Powerwall models have a 90% round-trip efficiency, higher than the industry standard of about 60% to 70%. So with Tesla, you will have at least 90% of your battery’s stored energy available to use.

Operating Modes

The Powerwall system uses three operating modes to control its batteries.

• Self-consumption: This allows the system to store energy directly in the solar battery.
• Time-based control mode: This selection works best if your utility uses time-of-use (TOU) rates, which fluctuate based on the time of day and the electricity demand. In this mode, Tesla’s battery will automatically begin storing energy when electricity rates are at their lowest. You can then draw from the battery once rates have increased, such as on a hot summer afternoon, helping you to save on your electricity bill.
• Backup only: Homeowners can select this mode if they only want to use the Powerwall as an emergency backup. The battery will switch to backup power mode when it detects no active power being drawn from the solar system, such as during a blackout.

Customers can toggle between modes on the Tesla mobile app. The Tesla app provides details on your energy consumption, storage capacity and panel productivity in real time. Both Powerwall batteries have Wi-Fi capabilities and sync with the app via the Powerwall Gateway 2. This electronic panel communicates directly with the battery and performs regular system checks automatically. The gateway can be mounted indoors or outdoors and can control up to 10 batteries.

The Tesla Solar Powerwall is among our picks for the best solar batteries for homeowners. Though the price point is higher than some solar batteries, its larger capacity will be enough to meet your energy needs. In addition, advanced, self-powered operating modes give you more control over how you use your solar battery system. Whether for unexpected power outages or to help lower your electricity bill, the Powerwall or the Powerwall+ can be beneficial additions to a residential solar panel system.

When deciding if the Powerwall is the right choice for your solar system, we recommend comparing the battery with at least two other solar storage options. You should compare storage capacity, functionality, efficiency and warranty coverage.