Tesla Powerwall

It’s been a year since this piece on home batteries becoming one of the most important tools we have for keeping the lights on during hurricanes, heat waves, and other extreme weather events was published. Since then, the case for VPPs has only gotten stronger, with more utilities than ever putting big money behind distributed batteries and virtual power plants to keep the grid stable during periods of record energy demands.

Can an EV really help power your home when the power goes out? It’s one of the biggest FAQs people have about electric cars — but the answer can be a bit confusing. It’s either a yes, with a but – or a no, with an unless. To find out which EVs can offer vehicle-to-home (V2H) tech to keep the lights on or even lower your energy bills, keep on reading.

UPDATE 20MAY2026: a new Volvo, and the return of ID.BUZZ!

Net metering — the ability to sell excess electricity back to the grid for fun and profit — has helped make rooftop solar panels the centerpiece of the home energy transition for more than a decade. But, as net metering rules change and electricity prices keep climbing, the value proposition isn’t as clear as it once was. Instead of sending extra power back to the grid, homeowners are increasingly deciding that it makes more sense to hold on to that excess power for themselves.

On today’s solar-powered episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got EnergySage director of insights Emily Walker with a look inside the company’s 22nd industry report, this time featuring home solar, EV charging, and whole home electrification.

On today’s crash-tacular episode of Quick Charge it’s been a rough, rough week for Tesla stans as new data out of Austin shows Robotaxis crashing at rates more than 4x higher than humans, new data out of China shows sales crashing more than 45%, and a new video seems to show a Tesla trying to crash into a lake.

Tesla has announced the Powerwall 3P, a new variant of its home battery with a native three-phase inverter built into a single unit. The product, announced for the German market first, eliminates the clunky workaround that previously required European homeowners to install up to three separate Powerwalls to achieve whole-home backup on the continent’s standard three-phase residential grids. Sign-ups are now live on Tesla’s website.

NOTE: since most of the US is currently getting hit with a huge winter storm, I’m republishing this list of home batteries as a reminder to be prepared for the next one – particularly for folks who are looking at hours or days without power.

For years, Tesla Powerwall has been the go-to recommendation for homeowners looking for a painless, low-effort experience from their first home solar and battery backup solutions. But with a recent recall on more than 10,000 home batteries over fire safety concerns following a year (or more) of CEO Elon Musk’s political antics, more and more people are beginning to look for alternatives to the trailblazing Tesla tech. The good news: there are plenty of other great home solar battery solutions are there!

Tesla is now officially recalling over 10,000 Powerwalls in the US after several fires – it follows a recall in Australia earlier this year.

The US battery storage market just had its biggest quarter ever. In Q2 2025, a record 5.6 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity came online, according to the latest US Energy Storage Monitor report from the American Clean Power Association (ACP) and Wood Mackenzie.

Tesla has issued a recall for its Powerwall 2 battery units sold between November 2020 and June 2022 over a potential risk of battery fire.

The storm hit. The power’s out. With all the damage around you, it looks like you might be without power for a few days (at least). But you planned for this. You have a home backup battery. What happens now?

Whether it’s to keep the lights on after a natural disaster or just to avoid peak energy rates, more people than ever are adding battery energy storage to their home solar systems. With some 45% of home solar customers saying yes to home batteries last year, the big question isn’t whether or not to get one – it’s what kind to get.

Two options stand out: lithium ion, and vanadium flow. Here’s the information you need to make the right choice.

Tesla has announced that it produced its one millionth Powerwall. An impressive milestone that is, unfortunately, overshadowed by some questionable math.

New data suggests that the Tesla Powerwall 3 is significantly disrupting the US solar inverter market.

The home battery pack’s integrated inverter is changing the game.

The US battery storage market set another record in 2024, installing 12.3 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity across all sectors, according to a new report from the American Clean Power Association (ACP) and Wood Mackenzie.

In total, 12,314 megawatts (MW) and 37,143 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy storage were added, marking a jump of 33% and 34%, respectively, compared to 2023.

On today’s exciting episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the Vistiq! It’s all-new, three row SUV from Cadillac that packs 650 hp and can go from 0-60 mph in under 3.5 seconds, a serious word from Rivian, and something fishy at Tesla.

Tesla has launched its new Powerwall 3 expansion units that can slash installation times by roughly half.

After decades of stable electricity demand in the US, a new report from ICF (Nasdaq: ICFI) predicts a significant surge starting this decade.

Octopus Energy and Tesla’s new partnership means Octopus can install Powerwalls and give its customers with Powerwalls better price tariffs.

Tesla Energy and smart electrical panel maker SPAN have launched the SPAN + Tesla Powerwall 3 bundle, a smart home battery backup system.

Tesla has released more details about Powerwall 3, its new generation home energy storage system, and there’s some more good news.