Tesla's Wall Connector now charges any supported EV from solar, while 2027 Model 3 and Model Y gain vehicle-to-load

Smart charging arrives on the Wall Connector

Firmware 26.34 for both the Powerwall and the Gen 3 Wall Connector adds smart charging, with the charger's behaviour now following whichever operational mode the Powerwall is set to, Not a Tesla App reported on 11 October 2026. The first owner report came earlier, on 7 October, from the Tesla owner account @EVStraya on X, whose home setup pairs three Powerwall 2 units with a Gen 3 Wall Connector, showing the feature is not limited to the newer Powerwall 3 hardware. ³⁵

Not a Tesla App notes the features first appeared in the Tesla mobile app in May, when interface strings referenced a new Low-Cost Charging mode for Wall Connectors along with an improved Charge on Solar option for Powerwall owners. Their arrival in firmware 26.34 turns what was signposted in the app into a shipping feature. ³

How the two modes work

In Savings mode, Low-Cost Charging uses the utility rate plan and solar production to charge the car when energy is cheapest, which Not a Tesla App describes as useful for time-of-use plans with cheaper overnight rates. In Self-Powered mode, Charge on Solar charges the vehicle from excess solar so more of the panels' output stays in the home, while still aiming to hit the configured charging target. Tesla warns this may change how much the car charges daily. ³⁵

Setups already in Self-Powered mode are switched to Charge on Solar automatically, per Not a Tesla App; owners who would rather charge from the cheapest energy instead are advised to switch the Powerwall to Savings mode and keep their rate plan up to date. Tesla recommends plugging in often and setting a low minimum charging target with a departure time matched to daily driving needs, giving the system more room to wait for cheap energy or sunshine. ³⁵

The requirements are specific: the Powerwall and Wall Connector on firmware 26.34, with TeslAnt noting the release also lists Tesla app 4.55.5; the Wall Connector on the same network as the Powerwall; and one Wall Connector per site. Setup runs through the Tesla app under Settings, Vehicle Charging, the Wall Connector, then Set Charging Configuration. ³⁵

Availability and where it works

The rollout's geographic scope is not settled. TeslAnt reports that Tesla has not published a market list or a rollout schedule for the smart charging feature, but that the support page already exists in a Swiss German edition, which suggests at least some European availability is intended. Australian owners with a Powerwall and Wall Connector appear among the first to report the feature working, but without an official market list, owners elsewhere cannot yet assume the feature is or will soon be available to them. ⁵

The scope of the new charging also extends past Tesla's own vehicles. TeslAnt notes Tesla's support page for smart charging says the system can charge "your Tesla vehicle or other supported EV", but that Tesla does not list which other vehicles qualify. The identity of compatible third-party vehicles therefore remains an open question the company has not yet answered. ⁵

Vehicle-to-load on 2027 Model 3 and Model Y

Separately, vehicle-to-load has been added to new 2027 model year Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, letting the battery run external devices such as heaters, tools and camping gear through an adapter that plugs into the charge port. TeslAnt lists China, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea as the first markets, with the feature tied to 2027 model year hardware and not retrofittable to existing cars. ¹

S.E. Robinson Jr.'s chronology of Tesla activity records the same addition for new 2027 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in China, Australia and New Zealand, with other markets expected later, and notes Australia lists the Outlet Adapter at A$145 and up to 3.45 kW. The chronology also records the base Model 3 RWD cut to A$45,990 in Australia with vehicle-to-load and 572 km WLTP range, with first deliveries set for mid-October according to Tesla Australia country director Thom Drew. ⁴

The power-export figures differ between sources and should be read as separate claims: TeslAnt's Model 3 timeline lists export at up to 2.2 kW, while S.E. Robinson Jr.'s chronology says Australia lists the adapter at up to 3.45 kW. Neither source explains the gap, so the maximum sustained export rate remains unresolved on the available record. ¹⁴

V2L in context: a late arrival

Vehicle-to-load has been standard on many non-Tesla electric vehicles sold in Australia for years. Energy Matters reports that BYD's entire local range includes V2L as standard, typically at 3.3 to 3.6 kW output, and that Tesla only added a limited version to the Model Y with the 2026 Performance refresh, at a lower 2.4 kW output via a separate paid adapter, not yet confirmed for Australian-delivered vehicles at that source's reporting. ²

The V2L rollout is also geographically uneven within Tesla's own range. TeslAnt's timeline notes vehicle-to-load remains absent from the US line-up, that the Spanish configurator does not list it, and that the feature is tied to 2027 model year Shanghai-built hardware in the first markets. The company's separate Powershare Home Backup, which lets a Model 3 or Model Y support a home during an outage, is a vehicle-to-home feature for the US and Puerto Rico and is distinct from vehicle-to-load. ¹

Market context supports the timing of the move: in August 2026 electric vehicles accounted for 24.9 per cent of all new vehicle sales in Australia, according to figures reported by Energy Matters, and the entry Model 3 RWD's A$45,990 price sits below the RWD Premium by A$9,000, with TeslAnt listing the removal of the rear touchscreen, ambient lighting and premium seat materials to reach the lower price. ²¹