2025 GWM Cannon Alpha price and specs: PHEV here, hybrid axed
The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV became the second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in local showrooms earlier this year, with customer deliveries beginning in May.
It joined the existing turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha, though the regular Cannon Alpha hybrid has now been axed to allow GWM to focus on the diesel and PHEV options.
In addition to confirming the demise of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid, GWM also confirmed in July sharper nationwide drive-away pricing for the PHEV.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Until September 30 or while stocks last, the PHEV Lux is being offered for $57,490 drive-away nationwide, with the PHEV Ultra priced at $64,490 drive-away.
GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid.
It subsequently confirmed in April it negotiated sharper pricing with the company's headquarters in China.
This saw GWM introduce state-based drive-away pricing, with the PHEV Lux priced from $61,490 to $64,590 drive-away depending on the state/territory, and the PHEV Ultra priced from $67,990 to $71,090 drive-away.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV matches the Ford Ranger PHEV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and beats the BYD Shark 6's 2500kg figure, while undercutting them both on price.
It also features front, rear and centre locking differentials, while the Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials.
It also has the BYD beat in range… just.
While the Shark 6 has a claimed electric driving range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, the Cannon Alpha PHEV has 115km of range on the same cycle.
Pricing is until September 30, 2025.
All GWM Cannon Alpha models feature a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing.
The PHEV can be charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a 3.3kW discharge rate.
It can also run purely on electric power even when in high-range four-wheel drive mode.
Payload varies based on the model.
GWM backs its vehicles with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV's high-voltage battery is backed by a separate eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
GWM offers capped-price servicing for the Cannon Alpha.
GWM Cannon Alpha turbo-diesel service pricing:
GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV service pricing:
The GWM Cannon Alpha was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to all Cannon Alpha variants.
Standard safety equipment includes:
The Lux diesel and Lux PHEV come standard with the following equipment:
The Ultra diesel adds:
The Ultra PHEV adds:
The GWM Cannon Alpha can be ordered in five colours:
All finishes except Marble White incur a $595 premium.
MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
UPDATE 13/07/2025 8:00am:GWM has recently sharpened pricing of its Cannon Alpha PHEV once again, while also axing the regular hybrid. We've updated this article accordingly.
The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV became the second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in local showrooms earlier this year, with customer deliveries beginning in May.
It joined the existing turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha, though the regular Cannon Alpha hybrid has now been axed to allow GWM to focus on the diesel and PHEV options.
In addition to confirming the demise of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid, GWM also confirmed in July sharper nationwide drive-away pricing for the PHEV.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Until September 30 or while stocks last, the PHEV Lux is being offered for $57,490 drive-away nationwide, with the PHEV Ultra priced at $64,490 drive-away.
GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid.
It subsequently confirmed in April it negotiated sharper pricing with the company's headquarters in China.
This saw GWM introduce state-based drive-away pricing, with the PHEV Lux priced from $61,490 to $64,590 drive-away depending on the state/territory, and the PHEV Ultra priced from $67,990 to $71,090 drive-away.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV matches the Ford Ranger PHEV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and beats the BYD Shark 6's 2500kg figure, while undercutting them both on price.
It also features front, rear and centre locking differentials, while the Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials.
It also has the BYD beat in range… just.
While the Shark 6 has a claimed electric driving range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, the Cannon Alpha PHEV has 115km of range on the same cycle.
Pricing is until September 30, 2025.
All GWM Cannon Alpha models feature a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing.
The PHEV can be charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a 3.3kW discharge rate.
It can also run purely on electric power even when in high-range four-wheel drive mode.
Payload varies based on the model.
GWM backs its vehicles with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV's high-voltage battery is backed by a separate eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
GWM offers capped-price servicing for the Cannon Alpha.
GWM Cannon Alpha turbo-diesel service pricing:
GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV service pricing:
The GWM Cannon Alpha was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to all Cannon Alpha variants.
Standard safety equipment includes:
The Lux diesel and Lux PHEV come standard with the following equipment:
The Ultra diesel adds:
The Ultra PHEV adds:
The GWM Cannon Alpha can be ordered in five colours:
All finishes except Marble White incur a $595 premium.
MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
UPDATE 13/07/2025 8:00am:GWM has recently sharpened pricing of its Cannon Alpha PHEV once again, while also axing the regular hybrid. We've updated this article accordingly.
The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV became the second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in local showrooms earlier this year, with customer deliveries beginning in May.
It joined the existing turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha, though the regular Cannon Alpha hybrid has now been axed to allow GWM to focus on the diesel and PHEV options.
In addition to confirming the demise of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid, GWM also confirmed in July sharper nationwide drive-away pricing for the PHEV.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Until September 30 or while stocks last, the PHEV Lux is being offered for $57,490 drive-away nationwide, with the PHEV Ultra priced at $64,490 drive-away.
GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid.
It subsequently confirmed in April it negotiated sharper pricing with the company's headquarters in China.
This saw GWM introduce state-based drive-away pricing, with the PHEV Lux priced from $61,490 to $64,590 drive-away depending on the state/territory, and the PHEV Ultra priced from $67,990 to $71,090 drive-away.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV matches the Ford Ranger PHEV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and beats the BYD Shark 6's 2500kg figure, while undercutting them both on price.
It also features front, rear and centre locking differentials, while the Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials.
It also has the BYD beat in range… just.
While the Shark 6 has a claimed electric driving range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, the Cannon Alpha PHEV has 115km of range on the same cycle.
Pricing is until September 30, 2025.
All GWM Cannon Alpha models feature a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing.
The PHEV can be charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a 3.3kW discharge rate.
It can also run purely on electric power even when in high-range four-wheel drive mode.
Payload varies based on the model.
GWM backs its vehicles with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV's high-voltage battery is backed by a separate eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
GWM offers capped-price servicing for the Cannon Alpha.
GWM Cannon Alpha turbo-diesel service pricing:
GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV service pricing:
The GWM Cannon Alpha was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to all Cannon Alpha variants.
Standard safety equipment includes:
The Lux diesel and Lux PHEV come standard with the following equipment:
The Ultra diesel adds:
The Ultra PHEV adds:
The GWM Cannon Alpha can be ordered in five colours:
All finishes except Marble White incur a $595 premium.
MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
UPDATE 13/07/2025 8:00am:GWM has recently sharpened pricing of its Cannon Alpha PHEV once again, while also axing the regular hybrid. We've updated this article accordingly.
The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV became the second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in local showrooms earlier this year, with customer deliveries beginning in May.
It joined the existing turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha, though the regular Cannon Alpha hybrid has now been axed to allow GWM to focus on the diesel and PHEV options.
In addition to confirming the demise of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid, GWM also confirmed in July sharper nationwide drive-away pricing for the PHEV.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
Until September 30 or while stocks last, the PHEV Lux is being offered for $57,490 drive-away nationwide, with the PHEV Ultra priced at $64,490 drive-away.
GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid.
It subsequently confirmed in April it negotiated sharper pricing with the company's headquarters in China.
This saw GWM introduce state-based drive-away pricing, with the PHEV Lux priced from $61,490 to $64,590 drive-away depending on the state/territory, and the PHEV Ultra priced from $67,990 to $71,090 drive-away.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV matches the Ford Ranger PHEV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and beats the BYD Shark 6's 2500kg figure, while undercutting them both on price.
It also features front, rear and centre locking differentials, while the Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials.
It also has the BYD beat in range… just.
While the Shark 6 has a claimed electric driving range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, the Cannon Alpha PHEV has 115km of range on the same cycle.
Pricing is until September 30, 2025.
All GWM Cannon Alpha models feature a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing.
The PHEV can be charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a 3.3kW discharge rate.
It can also run purely on electric power even when in high-range four-wheel drive mode.
Payload varies based on the model.
GWM backs its vehicles with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
The Cannon Alpha PHEV's high-voltage battery is backed by a separate eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
GWM offers capped-price servicing for the Cannon Alpha.
GWM Cannon Alpha turbo-diesel service pricing:
GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV service pricing:
The GWM Cannon Alpha was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to all Cannon Alpha variants.
Standard safety equipment includes:
The Lux diesel and Lux PHEV come standard with the following equipment:
The Ultra diesel adds:
The Ultra PHEV adds:
The GWM Cannon Alpha can be ordered in five colours:
All finishes except Marble White incur a $595 premium.
MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha
Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au
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The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- The Advertiser
2025 GWM Cannon Alpha price and specs: PHEV here, hybrid axed
UPDATE 13/07/2025 8:00am:GWM has recently sharpened pricing of its Cannon Alpha PHEV once again, while also axing the regular hybrid. We've updated this article accordingly. The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV became the second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in local showrooms earlier this year, with customer deliveries beginning in May. It joined the existing turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha, though the regular Cannon Alpha hybrid has now been axed to allow GWM to focus on the diesel and PHEV options. In addition to confirming the demise of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid, GWM also confirmed in July sharper nationwide drive-away pricing for the PHEV. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Until September 30 or while stocks last, the PHEV Lux is being offered for $57,490 drive-away nationwide, with the PHEV Ultra priced at $64,490 drive-away. GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid. It subsequently confirmed in April it negotiated sharper pricing with the company's headquarters in China. This saw GWM introduce state-based drive-away pricing, with the PHEV Lux priced from $61,490 to $64,590 drive-away depending on the state/territory, and the PHEV Ultra priced from $67,990 to $71,090 drive-away. The Cannon Alpha PHEV matches the Ford Ranger PHEV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and beats the BYD Shark 6's 2500kg figure, while undercutting them both on price. It also features front, rear and centre locking differentials, while the Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials. It also has the BYD beat in range… just. While the Shark 6 has a claimed electric driving range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, the Cannon Alpha PHEV has 115km of range on the same cycle. Pricing is until September 30, 2025. All GWM Cannon Alpha models feature a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing. The PHEV can be charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a 3.3kW discharge rate. It can also run purely on electric power even when in high-range four-wheel drive mode. Payload varies based on the model. GWM backs its vehicles with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The Cannon Alpha PHEV's high-voltage battery is backed by a separate eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. GWM offers capped-price servicing for the Cannon Alpha. GWM Cannon Alpha turbo-diesel service pricing: GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV service pricing: The GWM Cannon Alpha was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to all Cannon Alpha variants. Standard safety equipment includes: The Lux diesel and Lux PHEV come standard with the following equipment: The Ultra diesel adds: The Ultra PHEV adds: The GWM Cannon Alpha can be ordered in five colours: All finishes except Marble White incur a $595 premium. MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha Content originally sourced from: UPDATE 13/07/2025 8:00am:GWM has recently sharpened pricing of its Cannon Alpha PHEV once again, while also axing the regular hybrid. We've updated this article accordingly. The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV became the second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in local showrooms earlier this year, with customer deliveries beginning in May. It joined the existing turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha, though the regular Cannon Alpha hybrid has now been axed to allow GWM to focus on the diesel and PHEV options. In addition to confirming the demise of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid, GWM also confirmed in July sharper nationwide drive-away pricing for the PHEV. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Until September 30 or while stocks last, the PHEV Lux is being offered for $57,490 drive-away nationwide, with the PHEV Ultra priced at $64,490 drive-away. GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid. It subsequently confirmed in April it negotiated sharper pricing with the company's headquarters in China. This saw GWM introduce state-based drive-away pricing, with the PHEV Lux priced from $61,490 to $64,590 drive-away depending on the state/territory, and the PHEV Ultra priced from $67,990 to $71,090 drive-away. The Cannon Alpha PHEV matches the Ford Ranger PHEV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and beats the BYD Shark 6's 2500kg figure, while undercutting them both on price. It also features front, rear and centre locking differentials, while the Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials. It also has the BYD beat in range… just. While the Shark 6 has a claimed electric driving range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, the Cannon Alpha PHEV has 115km of range on the same cycle. Pricing is until September 30, 2025. All GWM Cannon Alpha models feature a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing. The PHEV can be charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a 3.3kW discharge rate. It can also run purely on electric power even when in high-range four-wheel drive mode. Payload varies based on the model. GWM backs its vehicles with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The Cannon Alpha PHEV's high-voltage battery is backed by a separate eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. GWM offers capped-price servicing for the Cannon Alpha. GWM Cannon Alpha turbo-diesel service pricing: GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV service pricing: The GWM Cannon Alpha was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to all Cannon Alpha variants. Standard safety equipment includes: The Lux diesel and Lux PHEV come standard with the following equipment: The Ultra diesel adds: The Ultra PHEV adds: The GWM Cannon Alpha can be ordered in five colours: All finishes except Marble White incur a $595 premium. MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha Content originally sourced from: UPDATE 13/07/2025 8:00am:GWM has recently sharpened pricing of its Cannon Alpha PHEV once again, while also axing the regular hybrid. We've updated this article accordingly. The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV became the second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in local showrooms earlier this year, with customer deliveries beginning in May. It joined the existing turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha, though the regular Cannon Alpha hybrid has now been axed to allow GWM to focus on the diesel and PHEV options. In addition to confirming the demise of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid, GWM also confirmed in July sharper nationwide drive-away pricing for the PHEV. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Until September 30 or while stocks last, the PHEV Lux is being offered for $57,490 drive-away nationwide, with the PHEV Ultra priced at $64,490 drive-away. GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid. It subsequently confirmed in April it negotiated sharper pricing with the company's headquarters in China. This saw GWM introduce state-based drive-away pricing, with the PHEV Lux priced from $61,490 to $64,590 drive-away depending on the state/territory, and the PHEV Ultra priced from $67,990 to $71,090 drive-away. The Cannon Alpha PHEV matches the Ford Ranger PHEV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and beats the BYD Shark 6's 2500kg figure, while undercutting them both on price. It also features front, rear and centre locking differentials, while the Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials. It also has the BYD beat in range… just. While the Shark 6 has a claimed electric driving range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, the Cannon Alpha PHEV has 115km of range on the same cycle. Pricing is until September 30, 2025. All GWM Cannon Alpha models feature a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing. The PHEV can be charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a 3.3kW discharge rate. It can also run purely on electric power even when in high-range four-wheel drive mode. Payload varies based on the model. GWM backs its vehicles with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The Cannon Alpha PHEV's high-voltage battery is backed by a separate eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. GWM offers capped-price servicing for the Cannon Alpha. GWM Cannon Alpha turbo-diesel service pricing: GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV service pricing: The GWM Cannon Alpha was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to all Cannon Alpha variants. Standard safety equipment includes: The Lux diesel and Lux PHEV come standard with the following equipment: The Ultra diesel adds: The Ultra PHEV adds: The GWM Cannon Alpha can be ordered in five colours: All finishes except Marble White incur a $595 premium. MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha Content originally sourced from: UPDATE 13/07/2025 8:00am:GWM has recently sharpened pricing of its Cannon Alpha PHEV once again, while also axing the regular hybrid. We've updated this article accordingly. The GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV became the second plug-in hybrid (PHEV) ute in local showrooms earlier this year, with customer deliveries beginning in May. It joined the existing turbo-diesel Cannon Alpha, though the regular Cannon Alpha hybrid has now been axed to allow GWM to focus on the diesel and PHEV options. In addition to confirming the demise of the Cannon Alpha Hybrid, GWM also confirmed in July sharper nationwide drive-away pricing for the PHEV. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Until September 30 or while stocks last, the PHEV Lux is being offered for $57,490 drive-away nationwide, with the PHEV Ultra priced at $64,490 drive-away. GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid. It subsequently confirmed in April it negotiated sharper pricing with the company's headquarters in China. This saw GWM introduce state-based drive-away pricing, with the PHEV Lux priced from $61,490 to $64,590 drive-away depending on the state/territory, and the PHEV Ultra priced from $67,990 to $71,090 drive-away. The Cannon Alpha PHEV matches the Ford Ranger PHEV with a 3500kg braked towing capacity and beats the BYD Shark 6's 2500kg figure, while undercutting them both on price. It also features front, rear and centre locking differentials, while the Shark 6 lacks any locking differentials. It also has the BYD beat in range… just. While the Shark 6 has a claimed electric driving range of 100km on the NEDC cycle, the Cannon Alpha PHEV has 115km of range on the same cycle. Pricing is until September 30, 2025. All GWM Cannon Alpha models feature a torque-on-demand four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing. The PHEV can be charged at up to 50kW using DC power, and boasts vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability with a 3.3kW discharge rate. It can also run purely on electric power even when in high-range four-wheel drive mode. Payload varies based on the model. GWM backs its vehicles with a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. The Cannon Alpha PHEV's high-voltage battery is backed by a separate eight-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. GWM offers capped-price servicing for the Cannon Alpha. GWM Cannon Alpha turbo-diesel service pricing: GWM Cannon Alpha PHEV service pricing: The GWM Cannon Alpha was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on testing conducted in 2024. This applies to all Cannon Alpha variants. Standard safety equipment includes: The Lux diesel and Lux PHEV come standard with the following equipment: The Ultra diesel adds: The Ultra PHEV adds: The GWM Cannon Alpha can be ordered in five colours: All finishes except Marble White incur a $595 premium. MORE: Everything GWM Cannon Alpha Content originally sourced from:
Canberra Times
15 hours ago
- Canberra Times
2025 GWM Cannon Alpha price and specs: PHEV here, hybrid axed
GWM had announced in February the Cannon Alpha PHEV would be priced at $63,990 drive-away in Lux guise and $68,990 drive-away in flagship Ultra trim, the latter being just $4000 more than the now defunct Ultra Hybrid.
Sydney Morning Herald
18 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Sick of power bills? What you need to know before buying a home battery
Loading A kilowatt is a unit of power – the amount of energy a battery can store. A kilowatt-hour (kWh) refers to the rate at which that energy can be discharged. For example, a one-kilowatt-hour battery can pump out a kilowatt of energy for 60 minutes. An average household of four residents, with two adults and two children, should consider installing a 10 kWh to 15 kWh battery, given they had at least an average-sized rooftop solar panel installation, said experts spoken to for this article. Many would-be buyers may have heard of better-known battery systems, such as the Tesla Powerwall, or China's BYD, but as you begin researching, you will probably encounter other popular brands, such as LG, Sonnen and Sungrow. This article provides general advice only, and home owners should get quotes from several installation companies to seek advice on their options. How much will a battery cost? With the government's 30 per cent rebate on the purchase and installation costs, a customer can expect to pay about $9000 to $15,000 for a model in the recommended size range. A typical household in Melbourne and Sydney now pays between $1500 and $2000 a year for electricity. Households with solar panels will typically pay less than this, given they can use their own supply to run their appliances during the day and earn money by exporting power to the grid. Experts, as well as the federal government, told this masthead that installing an appropriately sized battery to soak up rooftop solar power could reduce household bills by $1000 a year, on top of savings generated by the solar panels. Can I save money with a small system? Loading Finn Peacock, chief executive of leading quote-comparison service SolarQuotes, said it appeared that many battery customers were considering small, relatively cheap systems of 5 kWh – the minimum allowed under the rebate scheme – which could cost as little as $5000 to install. However, a battery of this size would end up proving 'tiny' for most households, he said. 'If you've got your air-conditioning on, in a decent sized Aussie home, that might pull three kilowatts easily. If you've got three kilowatt-hours of storage left, that's going to last an hour,' Peacock said. 'Most households' sweet spot would probably be 15 to 20 kilowatt-hours.' Customers who focus too heavily on the length of the payback time and opt for a 5 kWh battery instead of a bigger one that could nearly eliminate the need for grid power, may end up 'miserable', Peacock said. 'Very quickly they are going to see that they are still pulling from the grid after that battery is drained at 6 or 7 o'clock, and that just makes battery owners miserable,' he said. 'If you size a battery for zero bills, you're going to need a much bigger battery than if you are optimising a faster payback, but [lower bills] is where the long-term satisfaction comes from.' How to use a battery Australian National University emeritus professor and solar energy pioneer Andrew Blakers said greater savings were available for households with batteries that replaced their gas heaters and cookers with electric appliances. 'If you've got $10,000 or $15,000, which is what it's going to cost for a good-sized battery, then getting off gas would be my No.1 recommendation by far,' Blakers said. That's because they will avoid both the cost of gas and the fixed network charges for delivery of the fuel. Blakers agreed that the average household should shop for a battery in the 10 kWh to 15 kWh size range. 'That gives you enough flexibility to stoke up a large fraction of the energy from your solar panel on the roof … and then spread it three ways – into your home battery, into your hot water tank, and into your EV – remembering to preheat your house or pre-cooling your house before you get home, for example,' he said. Peacock, who sold SolarQuotes to Origin Energy last year, said buyers should be aware they can still waste energy and cop power bills with a battery installed on their dwelling. 'I worry about people thinking batteries are the magic bullet – always bear in mind that batteries store energy, they don't generate it,' he said. 'The thermal envelope of most Aussie homes is really horrible. People are dropping $10 to $15,000 on a battery, but are often still not sealing the gaps in their homes. Don't forget about the thermal envelope of your home.' How to choose a battery Batteries may take 10 years, or more in some cases, to deliver enough bill relief to repay their price. But they should remain in warranty during this period, with most models offering a guarantee of a decade or more. There are about 80 household batteries on the Australian market, starting at about $4000 for a 5 kWh unit, data compiled by the Smart Energy Council industry group shows. The nine systems with a 10 kWh capacity cost up to $10,000, and a handful of models with a capacity exceeding 13 kWh retail from $15,000 upwards. Loading Mike Roberts, senior research associate at the University of NSW School for Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, said the best way for a home owner to choose a battery was to seek independent advice. Reputable installation companies are a valuable source of information and will assess a customer's power bill, energy use patterns and solar system and advise on the best purchase. Another source of advice is the independent SunSPOT website. Developed by UNSW experts and not-for-profit solar research organisation the Australian PV Institute, it provides an energy calculator that assesses a household's solar power, energy use and battery potential and forecasts bill savings. 'If you've got your address, we can look at your roof, we can see if you have, and then we work out how much they'll generate over the year,' Roberts said. 'You can also work out what would happen if you add more solar or replaced it with a new system, or added a battery.' Uptake of batteries has surged since July 1, when the rebate scheme opened, with installers and advisory services such as SolarQuotes reporting a 500 per cent rise in sales and inquiries. Peacock said the battery boom reminded him of the solar panel boom, which began in 2008 when the first states offered generous payments, or feed-in tariffs, to households that supplied solar power to the grid. For a list of batteries approved for use under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, visit the Clean Energy Council approved products list. Lobby group Solar Citizens also has a list of state government support programs.
