Tesla, today, announced the recall of more than 10,000 of its Tesla Powerwall 2 home batteries in the United States. This comes after reports of five of the batteries catching fire, six beginning to smoke, and 11 units overheating. A similar recall happened back in September for units sold in Australia after multiple reports of fires and property damage occurred there. Those batteries were made by a third-party manufacturer and not Tesla.
What Is A Tesla Powerwall?
The Powerwall 2 is a home battery system that stores energy, primarily from solar panels, to be used later. It can also draw power from the local power grid during off-peak hours when rates are low. It automatically provides backup power to your entire home, including large appliances, during outages. The Powerwall system helps manage your home’s energy, using stored energy during peak hours when rates are high, to save money on your energy bills. The entire system can be managed through the Tesla app.
The Powerwall 2 contains 14 kWh of lithium-ion batteries, similar to those found in many Tesla vehicles. Tesla has had similar issues in the past with those batteries overheating and catching fire, as well. In most cases, however, the fires were linked to damage from crashes that triggered a chain reaction known as thermal runaway.
Which Powerwalls Are Being Recalled?
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) posted the recall today. It includes all Powerwall units purchased in the United States between November 2020 and December 2022. The CSPC asks that owners check to see if their batteries are online and then verify, using the Tesla app, whether those batteries are included in the recall.
Tesla will safely discharge all online units to reduce the risk of fire and provide replacements. If the process is similar to the one in Australia, recalled batteries will be replaced free of charge. Tesla may also, on a case-by-case basis, consider compensation for lost energy savings.
