Tesla officially listed the Powerwall 3 for order online via their website in February 2024. Due to the much higher power output and additional features, we assumed it would be significantly more expensive than the Powerwall 2. However, the US price was initially listed as being the same as the current Powerwall’s price of US$8,400, including the backup gateway, which costs $1,100 if purchased separately. However, the actual cost appears to vary widely depending on which state you are in, local regulations, and certified installer rates. For example, in Houston, Texas, the price is shown as US $10,209. However, after local incentives are factored in, the price is almost halved at $5,286, making it a very affordable option. Note the price does not include installation, wiring, switchboard modifications or solar.
The price of the additional battery expansion units can also vary widely from US$5,500 to $7,300 per unit, depending on which state you are in. Again, pricing appears to be dependent on the local Tesla-certified installers in the state or region.
In Australia, the cost is $13,600, including the Gateway 2, which is $1,500 more than the Powerwall 2. Note the price does not include freight, installation, possible switchboard modifications or upgrades, or solar array components, including panels, racking, wiring, isolators, rapid shutdown, and other equipment.
Should you order the Powerwall 3?
The short answer is yes if you do not have an existing solar system or if you have a larger home requiring a lot of backup power. However, for those with a substantial size solar system already installed, there are many alternative and affordable options for adding battery storage to your home. Additionally, the relatively large 13.5kWh battery may be oversized for smaller, energy-efficient households, and most alternative systems offer more modular, scalable battery options. Try our solar and battery sizing calculator to help determine whether the Powerwall 3 system is suitable for your home.
The Powerwall 3 is a well-engineered, feature-packed system from Tesla. The impressive 11.5kW power rating and up to 20kW of solar input make this a great solution for modern all-electric homes with solar EV charging. For those wanting to add battery storage to an existing solar system, the Powerwall 2 might be a better option. Alternatively, replacing your existing solar inverter with a Hybrid inverter, such as those from the Deye, Sungrow or Fronius, could be a much better option and enables more flexible battery storage options. If you have a small or undersized solar system and are considering upgrading it in the future, Powerwall 3 has the advantage of 6 independent MPPTs and up to 20kW of solar.
If you live outside the US, UK, Germany or Australia and require a large, powerful solar battery backup system, there are many other high-quality battery systems worth considering. Our detailed solar battery system comparison charts show some of the numerous available options.
