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This article was published on June 7, 2022

Toyota taunts Tesla with its very own energy storage system for homes

It's designed both for everyday use and during power outages


Toyota taunts Tesla with its very own energy storage system for homes
Ioanna Lykiardopoulou
Story by

Ioanna Lykiardopoulou

Ioanna is a writer at TNW. She covers the full spectrum of the European tech ecosystem, with a particular interest in startups, sustainabili Ioanna is a writer at TNW. She covers the full spectrum of the European tech ecosystem, with a particular interest in startups, sustainability, green tech, AI, and EU policy. With a background in the humanities, she has a soft spot for social impact-enabling technologies.

Back in 2015, Tesla introduced its Powerwall battery energy storage system for homes, having surpassed 200,000 installations last year. Now, Toyota is throwing its hat in the ring with its very own smart system for residential use.

Incorporating technology from the automaker’s electrified vehicles, the so-called O-Uchi Kyuden System features a 8.7kWh capacity and a 5.5kWh output.

toyota home charger
The O-Uchi Kyuden System. Credit: Toyota

It’s designed as an emergency electricity source during power outages, as well as for everyday use, including off-peak electricity, supporting home photovoltaic systems, and for charging EVs, hybrids, and fuel cell vehicles.

The O-Uchi Kyuden System can draw power from the municipal grid, home-installed solar panels, or (unlike Tesla’s Powerwall) from EVs capable of bidirectional charging (V2H) in case of grid failure.

toyota home energy storage
How the system works. Credit: Toyota

Thanks to an accompanying app, users can check its charge level, adjust its output, or switch between different power sources.

toyota home energy storage
The system’s accompanying app. Credit: Toyota

The O-Uchi Kyuden System will initially be available only in Japan, with sales to home builders and construction companies slated to begin in August.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but if Toyota wants to compete with Tesla by offering a more affordable product, it’ll need to beat the latter’s pricing of $7,460 (990,000 yen) when it arrives.

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