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Tesla launches its UK Energy Plan, hints at upcoming Virtual Power Plant project

(Credit: Energy Octopus UK)

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Tesla has launched its Energy Plan for the United Kingdom. This marks one of the first big moves Tesla Energy has taken to become a viable a utility service option in the country.

IT professional and environmentalist Mark W. Tebutt (@mwt2008 on Twitter) received a very intriguing email from the EV automaker about its Tesla Energy Plan. According to the screenshot @mwt2008 shared, Tesla has partnered with Octopus Energy in the UK to administer its energy plan to customers.

Octopus Energy has a lot in common with Tesla, including its disruptive nature. The UK-based energy service provider wrote on its official website that it entered the industry to “disrupt the status quo with energy that’s good for the planet, good for your wallet, and honestly, good for your soul.”

In the UK, energy suppliers set a default price, called tariffs, for services. The Tesla Energy Plan in the UK offers a 24/7 import and export (charging and discharging) rate of 8p(pence)/kWh to Tesla vehicle owners and 11p/kWh for those who are non-Tesla vehicle owners, as per the electric car maker’s FAQ page for its Energy Plan.

According to Octopus Energy, the Tesla Energy Plan has the lowest import flat rate in the UK energy market as of October 2020. UK Power stated that the average tariff is 14.40p/kWh in the UK. The tariff can vary depending on the location.

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The Energy Plan works with Tesla’s Powerwall, solar panels, and Solar Roof products. Although Tesla Solar Roof is currently not available for purchase in the UK. The email did not mention if the Energy Plan worked exclusively with Tesla products or if customers with solar panels from other companies could use the service as well.

Tesla appears to have designed its Energy Plan to work on two levels in the UK. First, it offers Tesla’s products, notably its Powerwall home battery, to customers. Second, it will help build Tesla’s “large” UK Virtual Power Plant through the Powerwalls.

Octopus Energy broke down the key benefits of the Tesla Energy Plan. They are listed below.

  • Power your home and EV with 100% clean energy
  • Reduce your electricity bills
  • Support the grid when it needs it most
  • Reduce reliance on the grid
  • Protect your home from power cuts
  • Be part of Tesla’s first UK Virtual Power Plant
  • Receive introductory offers

In May 2020, Tesla filed to become a full-blown energy provider in the UK. The Tesla Energy Plan it released in conjunction with Octopus Energy may be the first fruits of that application.

Tesla’s Energy division has been lying in the background of the company’s EV manufacturing department for some time. It has made some subtle waves in the US’ residential battery storage market over the years, and high-profile projects like the Hornsdale Power Reserve have caught headlines, but Tesla Energy has really started showing its worth this year.

Since the beginning of the year, Solar Roof V3 installations have been ramping, and the company’s flagship energy storage unit, the Megapack, has become a key component of massive projects such as the giant battery farm in Moss Landing. In its Q3 update letter, Tesla reported reaching record deployments of 759 MWh, and in the company’s earnings call, Elon Musk noted that Solar Roof will prove to be a killer product next year.

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla’s longer Model Y did not scale back requests for this vehicle type from fans

Tesla fans are happy with the new Model Y, but they’re still vocal about the need for something else.

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Credit: AlwinArt/Twitter

Tesla launched a slightly longer version of the Model Y all-electric crossover in China, and with it being extremely likely that the vehicle will make its way to other markets, including the United States, fans are still looking for something more.

The new Model Y L in China boasts a slightly larger wheelbase than its original version, giving slightly more interior room with a sixth seat, thanks to a third row.

Tesla exec hints at useful and potentially killer Model Y L feature

Tesla has said throughout the past year that it would focus on developing its affordable, compact models, which were set to begin production in the first half of the year. The company has not indicated whether it met that timeline or not, but many are hoping to see unveilings of those designs potentially during the Q3 earnings call.

However, the modifications to the Model Y, which have not yet been officially announced for any markets outside of China, still don’t seem to be what owners and fans are looking forward to. Instead, they are hoping for something larger.

A few months ago, I reported on the overall consensus within the Tesla community that the company needs a full-size SUV, minivan, or even a cargo van that would be ideal for camping or business use.

Tesla is missing one type of vehicle in its lineup and fans want it fast

That mentality still seems very present amongst fans and owners, who state that a full-size SUV with enough seating for a larger family, more capability in terms of cargo space for camping or business operation, and something to compete with gas cars like the Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Expedition, or electric ones like the Volkswagen ID.BUZZ.

We asked the question on X, and Tesla fans were nearly unanimously in support of a larger SUV or minivan-type vehicle for the company’s lineup:

Here’s what some of the respondents said:

Tesla is certainly aware that many of its owners would like the company to develop something larger that competes with the large SUVs on the market.

However, it has not stated that anything like that is in the current plans for future vehicles, as it has made a concerted effort to develop Robotaxi alongside the affordable, compact models that it claims are in development.

It has already unveiled the Robovan, a people-mover that can seat up to 20 passengers in a lounge-like interior.

The Robovan will be completely driverless, so it’s unlikely we will see it before the release of a fully autonomous Full Self-Driving suite from Tesla.

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Energy

Tesla launches first Virtual Power Plant in UK – get paid to use solar

Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom.

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Credit: Tesla Energy | X

Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom. This feature enables users of solar panels and energy storage systems to sell their excess energy back to the grid.

Tesla is utilizing Octopus Energy, a British renewable energy company that operates in multiple markets, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States, as the provider for the VPP launch in the region.

The company states that those who enroll in the program can earn up to £300 per month.

Tesla has operated several VPP programs worldwide, most notably in California, Texas, Connecticut, and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. This is not the first time Tesla has operated a VPP outside the United States, as there are programs in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

This is its first in the UK:

Tesla is not the only company that is working with Octopus Energy in the UK for the VPP, as it joins SolarEdge, GivEnergy, and Enphase as other companies that utilize the Octopus platform for their project operations.

It has been six years since Tesla launched its first VPP, as it started its first in Australia back in 2019. In 2024, Tesla paid out over $10 million to those participating in the program.

Tesla VPP program in California hits new capacity milestone

Participating in the VPP program that Tesla offers not only provides enrolled individuals with the opportunity to earn money, but it also contributes to grid stabilization by supporting local energy grids.

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Waymo responds to Tesla’s Robotaxi expansion in Austin with bold statement

Waymo and Tesla are surely in a battle of “mine’s bigger” right now.

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Credit: Waymo

Waymo has responded to Tesla’s Robotaxi expansion in Austin with a bold statement by extending its own geofence by a considerable margin.

Earlier this week, Tesla chose to expand its geofence for its driverless Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, substantially. The geofence more than doubled, bringing Tesla’s total serviceable area within Austin to approximately 42 square miles.

Tesla’s Robotaxi geofence in Austin grows, and its shape is hard to ignore

This put Tesla ahead of Waymo in terms of its service area in Austin, as the company’s geofence was just 37 square miles.

We reported on how significant this statement was for Tesla, as it has only been operating its driverless Robotaxi platform in Austin for less than a month, compared to Waymo, which has been there since March.

Tesla Robotaxi has already surpassed Waymo in this key metric

Waymo took it as a challenge, it seems, and expanded its geofence, and it did it impressively and massively. Now, Waymo’s geofence spans 90 square miles within Austin, including new neighborhoods such as Crestview, Windsor Park, Sunset Valley, Franklin Park, as well as popular tourist destinations like The Domain and McKinney Falls State Park.

The move “unlocks another key milestone in Austin as our operating territory with Waymo expands from 37 to 90 square miles, which means that even more riders can experience Waymo’s fully autonomous vehicles through the Uber app,” Sarfraz Maredia, Global Head of Autonomous Mobility & Delivery at Uber, said.

Additionally, Shweta Shrivastava, Senior Director of Product Management at Waymo, said:

“Just months after serving our first Austin riders with Uber, we’re excited to offer our 24/7 service to more of the city. The service with our partners at Uber is healthy, and we are ready for more Austinites to experience the magic of fully autonomous driving. Austin remains one of the fastest growing cities in the country, and we are doing our part to grow with it.”

Across the U.S., this expansion brings Waymo’s service area to more than 700 square miles, as it also operates in California and Arizona.

Here’s what the two geofenced regions look like:

The competition between Waymo and Tesla only benefits consumers, as the two companies are evidently sparring for a larger service area in Austin. Tesla launched its interestingly-shaped geofence expansion on Monday, and it seemed that the shape was more of a joke that could also be construed as a warning to competitors.

Tesla could more than likely have pushed its geofence to a larger size, but it purposely chose to do so in a comical fashion.

Now that Waymo has responded in this way, we’ll see if Tesla puts the jokes aside.

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