It is believed that the third iteration of the Powerwall is powered by LFP-batteries, though this has not been confirmed.
The Tesla Powerwall is one of the most popular residential battery energy storage systems, having reached 500,000 global installations earlier this year.
According to the most recent reports, Tesla quietly began installations of the new, third generation of the Powerwall (PW3 in short).
The CEO of Tesla indirectly affirmed the existence of the Powerwall 3 by describing several advantages of the new unit, such as a design optimized for installation simplicity and high power output.
There are numerous inquiries regarding the new Tesla Powerwall 3 specifications. The photo of the PW3 reveals that it is a 13.5-kilowatt-hour device, which suggests that the nominal capacity may be identical to that of the PW2 (or very similar).
There is an inverter inside, and the power output ranges from 5.8 kVA to 11.5 kVA (roughly equivalent to 5.8 kW to 11.5 kW of real power), dependent on the 240-volt current 24-48 amps. This is an increase from the previous sustained power output of 5 kilowatts (7 kW peak for 10 seconds).
According to the photo, the weight is close to 287 pounds (130 kilograms), which is approximately 14 percent more than the Powerwall 2’s 251 pounds.
All of these factors lead us to believe that the new Powerwall 3 contains LFP battery cells, although this has not been officially confirmed.
We believe this to be an LFP system due to the fact that the new unit is heavier despite having a comparable energy capacity. This is because the LFP battery cells are less energy dense than the high-nickel chemistry previously utilized. Similar to the Tesla Model 3 LFP and NCA versions, the increased weight is likely partially offset by the ability to charge the LFP cells to a higher state-of-charge and to maintain such a high state-of-charge without as significant an impact on their longevity.
Another thing is that the PW3 is smaller – that’s presumably because of the use of a prismatic cell format (typical for LFP), rather than cylindrical battery cells (used previously). In terms of space utilization, prismatic battery cells/modules are generally regarded as more efficient.
A member of the TMC forum (GigaGrunt) stated that the PW3 likely lacks liquid cooling like the PW2. The LFP batteries are safer and may perform better at higher temperatures, but they have issues at lower temperatures (particularly during rapid charge at temperatures below freezing). Unlike electric vehicles, Powerwalls cannot be rapidly charged, so this is not a significant issue. If confirmed, air conditioning would also result in weight and cost savings.
We are aware that Tesla has converted virtually all of its entry-level electric vehicles to LFP battery cells, and similar plans for 2022 have been announced for battery energy storage systems.
Despite having a lower energy density than high-nickel cathode chemistries of lithium-ion batteries, the LFP battery chemistry has one significant advantage: a lower price per capacity unit. This is one of Tesla’s most important factors, particularly in light of the current EV industry price wars.
One last unknown is the battery supplier. It could be CATL, which has supplied Tesla with LFP batteries for several years, but this is also unconfirmed.
