Tesla Powerpack and EV division in New Zealand

The first Asia Pacific grid level Tesla Powerpack battery storage to be integrated into a public electricity network has been officially opened.

Minister of energy Simon Bridges presided at the event at Vector’s Glen Innes substation.

The announcement of this first Powerpack installation – which has a storage capacity of 1MW/2.3MWh (equivalent to powering 450 homes for 2.3 hours) –  coincides with Tesla confirming that it will  expand in New Zealand with its electric vehicle division and energy products.

The carmaker says that it will start hosting events for potential customers to try its vehicles in the country by the end of the year, and that it will have Tesla outlets and superchargers in New Zealand next year.

Vector has shown a lot of interest in Tesla’s energy storage products ever since the unveiling of the new ‘Tesla Energy’ division last year. Now the the Tesla Powerpack will enable it to continue to provide a secure and reliable power supply and defer a costly conventional upgrade to the substation.

According to chief executive Simon Mackenzie, the Powerpack will reduce peak demand and extend the life of the substation, deferring capital expenditure and providing supplementary power to the Glen Innes region without compromising reliability.

This move represents a radical transformation in how Vector manages its electricity network and responds to the need for innovative infrastructure development to support growing communities.