Tesla is rolling out Smart Charging for homes that pair a Wall Connector with a Powerwall. Tesla's in-app release note lists it against firmware 26.34 for both the Powerwall and the Wall Connector, and the charger's behaviour now follows the Powerwall's operating mode. It can wait for the cheapest energy or soak up surplus solar, and either way it works towards a charging target by a set departure time.
The first owner report came on 7 October 2026 from Tesla owner @EVStraya, who posted the release note. Not a Tesla App reported the rollout on 11 October. The owner's site runs three Powerwall 2 units and a Gen 3 Wall Connector, so the feature is not limited to the newer Powerwall 3.
Two modes, chosen by the Powerwall
| Powerwall mode | Smart Charging mode | Until the target is reached | After the target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savings | Low-Cost Charging | Cheapest energy, from the rate plan and solar forecasts | Lowest-cost energy, including solar |
| Self-Powered | Charge on Solar | Surplus solar first, other sources if the forecast falls short | Surplus solar only |
Owners set a charging target and a departure time. Tesla's support page says Smart Charging builds a plan from solar production, home goals and driving needs, and that it charges "your Tesla vehicle or other supported EV". Tesla does not list which other EVs qualify.
Sites already in Self-Powered mode are switched to Charge on Solar automatically. The release note warns that this "may change how much your car charges daily". Owners who want the cheapest energy instead should switch the Powerwall to Savings mode and keep their rate plan up to date.
The floor from September, now shipping
The Charge on Solar half is the bigger change. In September, strings in Tesla app 4.60.5 pointed to a Charge on Solar setting with a minimum floor that tops up from the grid when solar falls short (TeslAnt's report on those strings). Tesla's support page now describes that behaviour. If too little surplus solar is forecast, Smart Charging "will consider other energy sources to reach your target"; once the target is met, the car charges only from surplus solar.
As shipped, the floor lives in the Wall Connector's settings. Tesla has not said whether the Charge on Solar setting in the car gets it too.
In July, Tesla app 4.58.6 brought tariff-based charging to the Wall Connector. Tesla's support documentation for that kind of scheduling, Rate Plan Charging, works with a "Desired Charging Duration" and an "End Charging By" time. Smart Charging works to a charging target instead and brings solar into the plan.
Requirements
- Powerwall and Wall Connector on firmware 26.34; the release note also lists Tesla app 4.55.5
- The Wall Connector on the same network as the Powerwall
- One Wall Connector per site
- Setup: Settings → Vehicle Charging → your Wall Connector → Set Charging Configuration
Tesla advises plugging in often and setting "a low minimum charging target", which gives the system more room to wait for sunshine or cheap hours.
What it means in Europe
Tesla has not published a market list or a rollout schedule, but the support page already exists in a Swiss German edition. Where feed-in tariffs pay far less than grid power, putting surplus solar into the car is usually worth more than exporting it. Germany is the sharpest case: a draft of the EEG 2027 would limit new small solar systems to feeding in half their capacity (TeslAnt's report on the draft). Low-Cost Charging is the mode for owners on time-of-use or dynamic tariffs, provided the rate plan in the Tesla app is current.