Environment
Home solar buyers are asking for Tesla Powerwall alternatives
New data from EnergySage shows that home solar buyers are increasingly asking for Tesla Powerwall alternatives as the brand damage extends to Tesla’s energy business.
Tesla has long been the brand leader in home battery packs with Powerwall.
The automaker launched its energy division in 2015 with the release of the first Powerwall, which help greatly expand the home battery pack market.
With Powerwall 2, Tesla Energy became the market leader and with Powerwall 3 last year, the company achieveied a truly impressive production ramp – albeit not without some questions.
It remains the most popular option for people looking for home backup power or to make better use of their home solar system, but there’s competition and Tesla’s brand issues are turning people to those competitors.
EnergySage is a service that enables homeowners to easily source and compare solar quotes for free without any sales call.
It gives them a lot of data about the home solar and battery industry.
The company says that homeowners have consistently chosen the Powerwall when adding a battery to their quote, but it has gone down since Trump’s inauguration and Musk’s salutes:
From January 1 through January 19, about 73% of homeowners selected a battery quote that included the Tesla Powerwall. That number dropped to 64% between January 20 and March 10.
Futhermore, EnergySage says that it has seen a surge in people mentioning Tesla in the quote process and 68% specifically asked for a Tesla Powerwall alternative:
Homeowners receiving quotes mentioned Tesla more than twice as often in emails in the first two months of 2025 compared to the same time last year; 13.5% expressed unfavorable views towards Tesla or Musk, while 68% specifically requested a Tesla alternative.
EnergySage shared an example of one such message from one of its clients:
“Do you offer a battery from a supplier other than Tesla? Though we have a Tesla Powerwall and love it, and we love our Tesla Model 3 and Y, we are outraged at Musk’s politics, so we don’t wish to send him more money,”
North Carolina-based Renu Energy Solutions says that 78% of the home batteries it installed last year were Tesla’s Powerwalls.
Nicholas Boles, Solar Energy Advisor Manager at Renu, confirmed that they are now seeing a surge in requests for alternative this year.
Boles said that they are now pushing Franklin batteries as a Tesla alternative:
“The last 14 deals I’ve sold as a manager have all been Franklin batteries.”
The Franklin aPower 2 has very similar specs as the Powerwall 3 with a bit more energy capacity and a bit less power capacity, but it also has a better warranty:
| Specification | Tesla Powerwall 3 | Franklin aPower 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Capacity | 13.5 kWh | 15 kWh |
| Continuous Power Output | Up to 11.5 kW | 10 kW |
| Peak Power Output | Up to 30 kW (for 10 seconds) | up to 15 kW |
| Load Start Capability | 185 A Locked Rotor Amps (LRA) | Supports up to a 5-ton A/C unit |
| Scalability | Up to 4 units | Up to 15 units per system (225 kWh total) |
| Battery Chemistry | Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) | Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) |
| Round-Trip Efficiency | 89% (solar to battery to home/grid) | Not specified |
| Operating Temperature Range | -4°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C) | -4°F to 131°F (-20°C to 55°C) |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.25 in x 24 in x 7.6 in (1099 mm x 609 mm x 193 mm) | 45.2 in x 29.5 in x 11.8 in (1149 mm x 750 mm x 300 mm) |
| Weight | 287 lbs (130 kg) | 357 lbs (162 kg) |
| Enclosure Rating | Not specified | IP67 (battery pack & inverter); IP56 (wiring) |
| Warranty | 10 years | 15 years or 60 MWh throughput |
While there’s evidence that Tesla’s brand issues are pushing more people to alternative, it is still clear that Powerwall remains popular.
Kowalczyk of Solartime USA told EnergySage that the Texas-based solar installers still gets more requests for Powerwalls than any other battery system.
Electrek’s Take
It makes sense that Tesla’s brand issues would also affect its energy business. Megapack being a business-to-business product isolates from the brand issues, but the Powerwall is still a consumer product.
However, the Powerwall was already so dominant that even significant brand issues would still result in significant market share for Tesla.
There’s also a lack of competition, but they are coming. Franklin aPower 2 is a good example as it fairly close in price and specs as Powerwall 3.
That said, with the still growing home solar business as people are trying to avoid increasing electricity rates. Tesla isn’t likely to have a demand issue with the Powerwall anytime soon.
If you are interested in getting solar and/or batteries for your home, we recommend using EnergySage. You will be able to get quotes without any hassle and only talk to someone when you are ready to move forward.
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