Energy5.02.2024

Best battery brands to fight load-shedding — with prices

Batteries are essential components of backup power solutions, and some of the best brands available to South African customers include Hubble, Revov, Dyness, Deye, Sunsynk, Shoto, HinaEss, and PylonTech.

Those looking for energy storage for their backup power solution have several options from which to choose from several reputed brands, with prices starting at R3,357 per kilowatt-hour.

MyBroadband previously asked prominent South African solar installers, including SolarAdvice, AWPower, Home Energy, and Rubicon, for insight into the best battery brands available in the country.

AWPower managing director Christian Hattingh emphasised that extensive local support is one of the most important things to look for in a battery manufacturer.

“We’re not just loyal to one brand. We try to support everyone that’s got a good reputation, good pricing, and good support, but the support is probably the most important thing for me,” he said.

AWPower recommended the following battery brands as some of the best in South Africa:

  • Deye
  • Dyness
  • PylonTech
  • Revov
  • SolarMD
  • Sunsynk
  • Volta

Rubicon Energy and Mobility director Greg Blandford also said support was a key consideration and emphasised that customers should peruse warranties and reviews for battery brands.

“A lack of reviews might indicate that the product is new or not widely adopted yet,” said Blandford.

“Longer warranties are generally preferable, as they suggest that the manufacturer believes the battery will remain functional for a substantial period. Typically, ten years is the norm.”

Rubicon said the best brands in South Africa include PylonTech, SolarMD, and Weco.

SolarAdvice marketing manager Sam Berrow told MyBroadband that customers should consider price point, scalability, performance, and after-sales support.

She recommended brands like BYD, Dyness, PylonTech, Shoto, HinaESS, and Hubble.

“South Africans are big fans of the Dyness and PylonTech range because they are compatible with most solar inverters, and they are reliable,” said Berrow.

“Other brands like BYD, Shoto, HinaESS and Hubble are also popular in South Africa due to their price point, scalability and performance.”

Matthew Cruise, head of public relations at Hohm Energy, recommended brands like Deye, Magneto, SolarMD, Sunsynk, and Volta.

Load-shedding battery price comparison

MyBroadband compared pricing for various battery sizes available from several of the best brands in South Africa.

We also compared the batteries on a price per kWh basis.

We included the price per kWh calculations to indicate affordability. Some customers may prefer prioritising certain brands rather than just focusing on bang-for-buck.

A wide range of battery capacities is available to South African consumers, with the smallest we compared being 2.56kWh and the largest being 10.65kWh.

However, it should be noted that even smaller and larger options are available. We opted for battery capacities ideal for various home backup power setups.

While solar installers did recommend all-in-one products like the Tesla PowerWall and Huawei’s Power-M backup solutions, we elected not to list these for this comparison as they would look far more expensive than the rest due to their built-in inverters.

Prices for various battery sizes from a range of brands are compared in the table below. Batteries are listed from least to most expensive across three capacity categories.

Popular battery brand prices
Battery Capacity (kWh) Price Price per kWh
<4kWh
Revov 2.56 R8,595 R3,357
Hubble 2.75 R14,990 R5,451
Magneto 2.56 R14,999 R5,859
Dyness 3.60 R17,940 R4,983
Pylontech 3.50 R19,990 R5,711
SolarMD 3.70 R26,260 R7,097
4kWh – 7kWh
Dyness 4.80 R17,957 R3,741
Dyness 5.12 R18,444 R3,602
Deye 5.32 R19,990 R3,758
Shoto 5.12 R19,999 R3,906
HinaEss 5.10 R21,850 R4,284
Volta 5.10 R21,900 R4,294
Magneto 5.10 R22,499 R4,412
Revov 5.12 R22,500 R4,395
PylonTech 4.80 R25,300 R5,271
Hubble 5.50 R25,995 R4,726
Sunsynk 5.32 R26,420 R4,966
Deye 6.14 R28,500 R4,642
Weco 5.40 R24,150 R5,489
BYD 5.00 R35,575 R7,115
>7kWh
Magneto 7.60 R33,499 R4,408
Volta 10.24 R40,500 R3,955
Hubble 10.00 R57,138 R5,714
Sunsynk 10.65 R57,995 R5,446
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