Electriq Power PowerPod 2
Is This Your Business?Author: Kaitlyn Short
The Electriq battery model is something that was created from the ground up. The Electriq Power team got together in 2014 following the purchase of a totaled Nissan Leaf. Together, Electriq Power professionals stripped the entire car, including the battery and computer for various parts in an attempt to construct its first home battery prototype. It took four months of dedicated work including the build out, testing and research phase, and then reconstructing, but eventually the energy storage prototype was complete.
In the years that followed Electriq grew its team and acquired investors as the original prototype developed into a product that would be available for residential use. While there were other home battery products on the market, there was definitely a need for these types of storage and battery solutions and Electiq wanted to make a product that was compatible with various home sizes and energy needs.
Since its founding, Electriq has quickly grown to be a recognizable brand within the energy storage space. The company has products available for both residential and small commercial use in a number of different countries. Electriq Power has even donated its energy storage systems to hurricane-stricken areas to provide relief during inclement weather seasons. Following a number of updates, Electriq Power released its PowerPod 2 which had a number of upgrades over the now discontinued Electriq Power PowerPod 1.
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The Good
- Modes of Operation
- LTE and Wi-Fi Enabled Hub
- Electriq Power App
- Chemistry Update
Modes of Operation
Depending on what a homeowner wants to prioritize, there are three different “modes of operation” that the Electriq Power PowerPod 2 can function in. These modes of operation each come with a specific purpose and outcome. Modes of operation include Backup, Self-Supply, and Time of Use.
The PowerPod 2 system is designed to prioritize power needs while saving energy costs all around. This is not the case with all comparable products on the market.
LTE and Wi-Fi Enabled Hub
A unique feature of the Electriq Power PowerPod 2 system is that it encompasses a connected LTE and Wi-Fi enabled hub. That means that any communications that are generated directly from the battery itself will not stop simply because the utility grid is experiencing an outage or is down for whatever reason.
The system will remain connected to the app so homeowners will still have access to energy use statistics and analysis and can ensure that the home is being powered according to their priorities. This connection can be interrupted with other comparable systems on the market.
Electriq Power App
While other storage systems offer monitoring through a mobile app, the Electriq Power Qpp offers unique insights and controls to the homeowner. In addition to the typical analytics and insights into energy production, consumption, and storage, users can see a host of other metrics allowing for prioritization of energy uses to be made.
Homeowners can view utility rates, weather predictions, historical consumption, which allows for additional financial and electricity savings as the system can be used during peak rate times. This information can be accessed anywhere at any time.
Chemistry Update
One major update the Electriq Power team made when creating the PowerPod 2 is the actual chemical makeup of the storage system. The PowerPod 1 was made up of the traditional lithium-ion NMC technology. This is the most commonly found “chemistry” within the battery manufacturing space.
However, the PowerPod 2 is made of an LFP battery, or lithium iron phosphate. The reason this is notable is because LFP batteries provide longer life space, increased overall reliability, and extra safety precautions taken to ensure safe and tested operations. Not all manufacturers are continuously looking for ways to improve products. In a short period of time, Electriq Power has made these upgrades to its battery solutions and continues to push technology advancements.
The Bad
- Mounting Position
- No Solar Options
Mounting Position
The Electriq Power PowerPod 2 requires a floor mounting position. This is different from many storage systems on the market that are mounted on the wall, keeping floor space in the garage (or wherever the homeowner decides to have the unit installed) free and generally out of the way. This is likely due to the fact that the PowerPod 2 has a starting weight hovering around 530 pounds. This is a bigger, heavier unit so floor space to properly mount these systems will ultimately be needed.
No Solar Options
Unlike most battery manufacturers, Electriq Power does not offer any solar solutions like the traditional solar panels and inverters. For most manufacturers, creating a battery stemmed from its desire to create a perfectly compatible system that will work with the solar PV system homeowners are having installed. This is detrimental to the Electriq Power is because a homeowner that has a tier-1 name brand solar system installed may be more compelled to go with a battery that was designed with the installed PV system in mind.
This does not mean that the Electriq Power PowerPod 2 is not compatible with solar PV systems, because it is. It simply does not have a PV system it can be bundled with for installation and purchasing purposes.
The Bottom Line
Electriq Power is one of the few companies within the energy industry that solely dedicates its time and focus to the development and manufacturing of energy storage systems. The Electriq Power PowerPod 2 offers homeowners a number of varying operation modes to meet energy priorities.
The PowerPod 2 also has a main hub that is LTE and Wi-Fi enabled which means that the utility grid going down will not have an impact on the connectivity of the system. Each client that has an Electriq Power PowerPod 2 installed will also have access to the Electriq Power App.
This app provides a number of monitoring and prioritization capabilities putting the control back in the hands of the homeowner. One notable upgrade the PowerPod 2 has over the discontinued PowerPod 1 is the chemistry makeup. The PowerPod 2 is a LFP battery.
There are a number of reliable and beneficial features that come with the installation of the Electriq Power PowerPod 2, but there are limitations to be aware of as well. One thing to note is that the system itself does require ground space as it is mounted to the floor.
There are also no solar PV solutions available through Electriq itself, so homeowners interested in having a total energy upgrade will have to go through another manufacturer to obtain solar and inverter products and installation.
Homeowners looking for a storage system that will remain connected even during grid outages and is compatible with a number of solar systems will likely benefit from what the Electriq Power PowerPod 2 offers.
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Arooj Naeem
1 year ago Edited December 11, 2023
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TIMES & SIGNS Salem, OH
1 year ago
