Mercedes-Benz Energy has made a lot of noise about its new energy storage units for the home, but Americans keen to get their hands on a set have been left wanting since the product was unveiled last year. Having announced their rollout in the UK last month, Mercedes-Benz Energy has now teamed with Vivint Solar to put them in Californian homes.
They're intended for homes, but the Mercedes-Benz Energy batteries borrow heavily from experience gained in the motoring world. Developed by ACCUmotive – Daimler subsidiary responsible for the lithium-ion batteries in Mercedes-Benz hybrids – the cells can be used to store energy generated by rooftop solar systems, wind turbines or any other alternative energy production sources people might have at home.
The batteries will be sold through Vivint Solar initially, giving solar customers the chance to better harness and control the energy they're capturing on their roof. Vivint says they can be used as a backup power source during power outages, or to avoid paying swollen usage rates during peak power demand periods.
The systems are made up of 2.5 kWh batteries that can be stacked to create single units up to 20 kWh. They'll be competing with Tesla, which sells the Powerwall in 7.5 kWh and 10 kWh variations, and can be scaled to 58 kWh with multiple units.
"The choice to work with Mercedes-Benz Energy, a world-class innovator in energy storage, was an easy one," says David Bywater, CEO of Vivint Solar. "We believe their energy storage system is going to delight our customers and are impressed with their ambitious plans for the future."
California is the first part of America to be offered the Mercedes-Benz Energy system. It will only be on sale through Vivint Solar in Q2, with no word on when the batteries will be available in other states. Prices will range from US$5,000 for a 2.5-kWh unit to $13,000 for a 20-kWh system – that's fully installed but doesn't include any energy generation systems, such as solar panels.
Source: Mercedes-Benz Energy
So yeah that's a great size battery and not many affordable options yet on the market in that size. The problem is the pricing. $5000 for 2.5kWh is kind of crazy, while for the same price Tesla's Power Wall 2 is 14kWh or more than five times the storage. What gives?
2.5kWh needs to be on the order of $1000 before this makes sense and then it will take off like wildfire. And current dropping lithium ion prices should make that possible. $5,000 is a non-starter.