APsystems Battery Review: An Independent Assessment by Solar Choice

Note: Solar Choice is not affiliated with APsystems or any other battery manufacturer. Our reviews are independently written using technical documentation and industry analysis.

At a Glance: APsystems Batteries score 1.6 out of 5

Scoring is based on our solar battery scorecard, which is consistently applied to each brand and battery available on the Australian market. This scoring reflects APsystems’ residential battery offering.

$ Price: Based on data from Solar Choice’s network of solar installers, the estimated average price for an installed APsystems battery is around $800 per usable kWh, making it a lower-cost option.

• Company Backing and Trustworthiness (2 out of 5): APsystems has operated in Australia since 2013, but has fewer than 5 local staff based in a co-workign space, which limits confidence in local support capacity.
• Warranty Offer (2.5 out of 5): APsystems offers a throughput warranty of 3.12MWh per usable kWh, a 10-year product warranty, and a minimum capacity rating of 70% at the end of the warranty period. This is a mid-range warranty offer that meets market expectations.
• Customer Reviews (0 out of 5): APsystems has no verified customer reviews on Solar Choice or other independent battery review sites, resulting in a score of 0 for customer feedback. Most major brands have 100s of reviews from real customers.
• Functionality (2 out of 5): APsystems batteries are IP65 rated and AC-coupled which make them suitable for outdoor installations with existing solar setups. However they do not include fire suppression and do not have the capability to expand the battery system at a later date without older degraded battery modules affecting the performance of newer ones.

Please note that the Solar Choice scorecard represents our views only. Customers are encouraged to conduct their own research. The guide below provides a detailed overview of the key information to consider before making a purchase.

Overview of APsystems – Company History

APsystems is a global solar electronics manufacturer best known in Australia for its microinverters, which have been on the Clean Energy Council (CEC) approved list for many years. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in China, with operations across Asia, Europe, and North America.

APsystems Australia operates under Altenergy Power System Australia Pty Ltd, with a registered address in Sydney. Despite initially launching in Australia over 10 years ago, they have a limited penetration into the market and currently have less than 5 employees working from a co-working space in Surry Hills.

APsystems launched their battery solution in 2023. APsystems does not manufacture its own battery cells; instead, it focuses on power conversion systems (PCS) and positions its storage solution as a flexible platform compatible with multiple low-voltage battery brands.

APsystems Battery Range and Options

APsystems’ storage offering is built around two components:

1. APstorage PCS (Power Conversion System)
2. Compatible low-voltage lithium batteries (including APbattery and third-party brands)

APstorage PCS Battery Inverter

The APstorage PCS acts as a bidirectional battery inverter, managing charge and discharge between the grid, solar PV system, and connected battery packs. It is AC-coupled, meaning it can be added to an existing solar system without replacing the existing inverter – and will work best with a APsystems micro-inverter system.

The have 5kW and 11.4kW single phase options and a 12kW 3 phase option. This is less range than most brands but the 11.4kW single phase option is one of the highest rated single-phase options on the market.

Core characteristics of the PCS battery inverter:

• IP65 outdoor rating
• Backup power support (during a power outage) with <10 ms switchover
• Multiple operating modes (self-consumption, backup, peak shaving)
• Designed to integrate tightly with APsystems microinverters and their EMA monitoring platform

APbattery (Low-Voltage Battery)

APsystems offers its own branded APbattery, a 48 V lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery:

• Nameplate capacity: 10.24 kWh
• Usable capacity: 9.21 kWh
• Depth of Discharge: 90%
• Battery chemistry: Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄)
• IP65 rated: suitable for outdoor installations

The battery comes in fixed wall-mountable units of 10.24 kWh nominal (9.21 kWh usable) capacity. Additional battery modules are mounted side by side and connected in parallel. In our view, the 11.4kW single phase or 12kW 3-phase inverter would support 2 to 3 battery modules connected together, but would become a limitation in larger setups.

How Much Does an APsystems Battery Cost?

See below pricing for APsystems batteries which positions them lower than the average price for solar batteries.

System	Typical Wholesale Cost*
20.48kWh (2 x batteries) with 5kW PCS Inverter	$7,500 to $8,000
40.96kWh (4 x batteries) with 12kW 3-phase PCS Inverter	$14,500 to $15,000

Because APstorage is AC-coupled, it avoids the need to replace an existing solar inverter, which can reduce retrofit costs compared to DC-coupled hybrid systems.

Installation costs will vary depending on your site requirements, existing solar setup and location.

APsystems’ Warranty Offer for Australian Customers

APsystems’ Australian warranty for its APstorage system is split across two components:

1. the APstorage PCS (power conversion system), and
2. the battery modules used with the system (either APsystems-branded APbattery or approved third-party batteries).

Together, these are marketed as a 10-year limited product and performance warranty, subject to a number of operational and monitoring conditions.

Battery Performance Warranty

For APsystems-branded APbattery (10.24 kWh LFP) systems, the warranty guarantees that the battery will retain at least 70% of its nominal energy capacity or have delivered the minimum throughput energy at the end of the 10-year warranty period, provided the system is operated within approved parameters.

The minimum throughput is outlined in the below table

Battery Model	Usable Energy	Minimum Throughput Energy	Minimum Throughput per usable kWh
APbattery-51.2V/10.24kWh	9.21 kWh	28.73 MWh	3.12 MWh

The minimum throughput of 3.12MWh per usable kWh ranks in the middle of the market and compares well against most mid-range brands.

Read the full APsystems battery warranty

PCS (Inverter) Warranty

The APstorage PCS units (ELS and ELT series) are covered by a 10-year limited product warranty. This covers defects in materials and workmanship only.

Key limitations include:

• No labour coverage for removal, reinstallation, or site works
• Continuous internet connectivity and cloud monitoring are mandatory to maintain warranty eligibility

Read the full APsystems PCS Inverter warranty

As AP Systems have a relatively small local footprint long-term after-sales support is likely to be more difficult with them than brands with a bigger Australian presence.

Pros and Cons of APsystems Batteries

Pros	Cons
Battery system is priced very competitively	Small Australian support team based in co-working space
One of the largest single-phase battery inverters available on the market (11.4kW)	No validated 3rd party customer reviews and feedback on their battery which was launched in 2023
Strong monitoring ecosystem for existing APsystems microinverter users	Warranty for PCS Inverters excludes labour and depends on internet connectivity

Conclusion: Our Verdict on APsystems Batteries

APsystems batteries sit in the lower tier of the Australian residential battery market, reflected in their overall score of 1.6 out of 5 on the Solar Choice Battery Scorecard. Their main appeal is price as one of the more affordable options for retrofits.

However, this lower upfront cost is offset by several structural weaknesses. APsystems has a very small Australian presence, operating with fewer than five local staff from a co-working space, which limits confidence in long-term support and warranty handling compared with larger, more established brands.

It will be telling to see how the first round of customers fare with APsystems batteries after some real customers reviews come online.

Read more product reviews from Solar Choice