The electric vehicle maker said Tuesday that it has unveiled a new product that it hopes will help homeowners save energy by taking advantage of the low-emission power from their home’s batteries.
Tesla’s new product, the Electri-Tek, promises to reduce energy costs by up to 30% in a range of residential and commercial applications, from lighting to heating and cooling.
It will be available as a low-cost, rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can store up to 12 times its original capacity and can be easily replaced.
The company also announced plans to offer a new version of the Electra-Tec energy-management product that will include a larger storage tank and a new charging station.
The new product is also designed to be smaller and more efficient.
Tesla is currently rolling out a series of smaller battery packs for its electric cars, including the Model 3, but it also is planning to offer larger battery packs in its vehicles for home use.
Tesla has been exploring ways to use its electric vehicles to reduce their emissions, and the company is aiming to reduce emissions by at least 90% by the year 2030, or more than double the amount it plans to meet its target of reducing its carbon dioxide emissions to 40% below 2005 levels by 2030.
Tesla said it will begin shipping its new product in mid-October, and it is expected to begin shipping it by the end of 2019.
The Electri and Electra kits are designed to allow homeowners to install a storage tank at home, or to connect the device to a utility.
Tesla will sell the new products to utilities for a fee.
The batteries are a direct competitor to lithium-polymer batteries used in solar panels, which have long been touted as a cheap and environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
Tesla also is working on batteries that could be used in vehicles, and a battery that could help with home energy management.