Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s home country of South Africa is currently experiencing its worst energy crisis as demand for electricity often outstrips supply.
To cope with challenge of balancing the integrity of the power supply and prevent a total blackout, the country’s electricity supplier Eskom instituted load shedding, where there are controlled shut downs on sections of the grid at predetermined times. In other words, residents can expect to be without power on a regular schedule, sometimes for as long as 4 hours at a time.
Despite the energy crisis, Tesla hasn’t officially offered its energy solutions, like the Powerwall, in the country. In a sign they will be coming soon, reservations for the Powerwall have now opened in South Africa.
With prices starting at R166,800 ($13,565 CAD), customers can select up to 10 Powerwalls that come with supporting hardware for an additional R23,500 ($1,911 CAD), regardless of the size of the installation.
Tesla has not made an official announcement on when the Powerwalls will be available, but there is an drop-down menu on the reservation form to indicate when you need one. The options available are “As soon as possible”, “3-6 months”, and “>6 months”.
Source: Business Insider South Africa
