Zendure mentions support for Amazon Alexa and Google Home, allowing you to issue voice commands to the Superbase V6400. I only found the option to connect Alexa in the Zendure app, and I needed some help setting up the Zendure skill, but I couldn’t get Alexa to recognize any voice commands. I’m not sure how useful voice commands would be here anyway, and you can control the Superbase remotely using an app on your phone.
The Superbase V6400 can also function as a seamless UPS, automatically switching to battery power during any outage. Zendure says the US Superbase V model can switch to battery power with 0 milliseconds of downtime (13 ms for other connections and models), and that seems about right. But if you want full power in your home, you may want a transfer switch installed by an electrician. Zendure offers a Smart Home Panel with EV Outlets ($1,200) for the Superbase V that combines a transmission switch and dock and has two EV charging ports.
As a modular system, you can add up to four B6400 satellite batteries (6.4 kWh each) to the Superbase V6400. The design includes removable elastic straps to securely stack additional batteries. You can also connect two Superbase V6400s together, and each with four batteries, allowing you to store up to 64 kWh. That’s enough to power your entire home for a few days or charge your EV. But even at the discounted price, such a system will cost you $41,800 at the time of writing.
For comparison, the Tesla Powerwall 2 home battery has a capacity of 13.5 kWh and costs $12,850, but you can only get them with a solar panel installation (unless they’re used). You’d need five to get the same storage capacity (67.5 kWh), which comes to $46,750 at current prices and discounts.
For off-grid RV camping, the Superbase V6400, paired with a decent solar panel array, works well if you have the space. Just make sure you get help installing it. After a couple of cycles of using it around my home, the Superbase V6400 performs as I hoped. But longevity is critical to energy storage, and only time will tell how well it performs over the months and years. The standard warranty is three years, and you can extend that by an additional two years by registering in the Zendure app.
Zendure also offers the Superbase V4600 with a 4.6-kWh capacity for $3,300. But it contains LiFePO 4 instead of semi-solid-state batteries, and we did not test it. If you want something more affordable and portable, try Zendure’s mini power stations. I tested the SuperBase Pro 2000 ($1,600), which uses 2-kWh capacity LiNiMnCoO2 batteries. It’s more manageable with a telescopic handle and multiple outlets and ports for camping trips or emergencies. Unfortunately, you can’t mix and match different battery types; The V6400 system only pairs with B6400 batteries.
We’re seeing a flood of portable power stations in the market, and we plan to test several contenders in the coming months. For now, Zendure’s slick modular system sets the bar high. For those looking for high-capacity, expandable power storage, the Superbase V6400 will be hard to ignore.
