Skip to main content

Tesla launches external battery pack for iPhone and Android devices

Tesla phone charger
Image used with permission by copyright holder
At a recent event, Tesla announced its new Roadster and semi-truck, but the company also released another product that didn’t get nearly as much attention. The company best known for its electric cars has released an external battery pack that can be used to charge your Android smartphone or iPhone while you’re away from an outlet.

It might seem a bit strange, but the company does produce batteries for consumer use, such as the Tesla Powerwall, which is used to supply power to homes, especially in the case of a disaster or power outage. The new Powerbank, available on Tesla’s website, is powered by the same 18650 cell used in the Model X and S vehicles, though the cars use more than a single cell, of course.

In terms of technical specifications, the Powerbank doesn’t differ too much from similar external battery packs, and the $45 price tag is a bit steep, considering you can find other models that are more affordable. However, some of the cheaper devices are only compatible with one type of phone. But it’s in the area of design that Tesla puts much of its efforts.  The Powerbank is sleek and compact enough to make it fairly easy to carry with you. As for the looks, the product description reads, “Designed and inspired after Tesla’s supercharger monument at the Tesla Design Studio.”

There were some outlets reporting that the Powerbank were sold out, but it appears that Tesla has added new inventory as the product is still listed as for sale on Tesla’s website.

Whether or not there’s a market for a $45 external cellphone charger is a question that has yet to be answered. We imagine most people will be able to make do with the cheaper offerings found online, but for those who love Tesla and want something a bit more unique, this product could fill a niche. Beyond that, this could also come in handy if you’re in a situation where you need to charge different types of phones. If you’ve got an Android and your friend has an iPhone, then switching this back and forth might be a bit cheaper than buying separate battery packs.

Editors' Recommendations

Eric Brackett
Former Digital Trends Contributor
The camera on this Android phone is confusing, but I love it
The back of the Tecno Camon 30 Premier.

I’m all for a lot of detail, and love to hear about the new technology that’s inside a smartphone I’m about to test, but when I have to search for an explanation of what something means, it’s not a good start. The Tecno Camon 30 Premier suffers from this problem, as it has a lot of cool camera tech that is explained in a mystifying way.

So, I thought the best thing to do was to just ignore the tech speak and find out if it takes great photos the old-fashioned way.
What's the problem?

Read more
iPhone SE 4: news, rumored price, release date, and more
The Apple iPhone SE (2022) and Apple iPhone SE (2020) together.

While the spotlight always seems to be on Apple’s mainline iPhones, the iPhone SE is a great pick for those who are on a budget. If you want an iPhone that doesn't break the bank, the SE is the way to go.

The original iPhone SE came out in 2016, and then Apple revamped it in 2020 and 2022 by giving it some more modern hardware. The iPhone SE tends to get updated every two or so years rather than annually like the traditional iPhone. This means  that we should see a new iPhone SE 4 this year, but it’s not so cut-and-dried with this particular model.

Read more
3 reasons why I’ll actually use Anker’s new iPhone power bank
A person holding the Anker MagGo Power Bank.

Power banks are a necessary evil, and even if you don’t consider yourself a “power user” who's likely to drain a phone’s battery in less than a day, there will be times when one comes in handy. And when I am forced to carry one, I want it to be as helpful and versatile as possible.

I’ve been trying Anker’s MagGo Power Bank 10K -- meaning it has a 10,000mAh cell inside it -- and there are three reasons why I'm OK with it taking up valuable space in my bag.
It has a screen on it

Read more