Tesla has issued a recall for Powerwall 2 units in Australia after receiving reports of units with affected battery cells smoking or emitting flames, resulting in minor property damage.
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The Tesla Powerwall 2 is a battery storage unit that stores energy from solar panels that can be used to power homes or businesses when required, such as at night or during peak grid demand.
Powerwall owners can also enroll in the Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program, which allows them to sell energy back to the grid, helping to reduce energy bills. Tesla revealed last year that over 100,000 Powerwalls were participating in the program.
According the the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), most affected units have already been remotely discharged by Tesla.
While the risk of overheating is now very low, if it does occur, it may lead to a fire that could cause serious injury, death or damage to property. A few incidents have occurred and caused damage to property. No injuries have been reported.
The ACCC says consumers should check to confirm that their Powerwall 2 system is online and check the Tesla App for a notification about whether their unit is affected. Affected consumers may already notice that their Powerwall 2 system has been remotely discharged.
For those affected units not already discharged, Tesla will remotely discharge affected Powerwall 2 systems that are online to mitigate any risk of overheating until the replacement can be carried out.
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Affected units will be replaced at no cost. Tesla will consider compensation for lost energy savings from discharged Powerwall 2 systems on a case by case basis. Tesla or a third-party service provider will contact consumers who have an affected Powerwall 2 unit to schedule replacements.
More information on the recall is available here.
