Portable power and solar generators

Kilograms per Kilowatt-Hour: How Heavy Portable Power Really Is, From a 288 Wh Unit to a Home Battery

Published · By the SolarPanelX editors · Updated · See individual checks and dates below

Summary

A complete power station, inverter and all, weighs 10 to 17 kg for every kWh it stores; a bare lithium battery weighs 7 to 11 kg per kWh; and the lightest unit here is not the lightest per kWh. BLUETTI's 4.3 kg Elite 30 V2 is 14.9 kg/kWh, Jackery's Explorer 1000 v2 is 10.1 kg/kWh, and Victron's Lithium NG 100 Ah battery, with no inverter, is 7.0 kg/kWh. Safe handling depends on the person, route, grip and manufacturer instructions; kg per kWh is not a safe lifting limit.

Thirteen products

ProductCapacityWeightkg per kWhType
Victron Lithium NG 12.8 V/100 Ah1,280 Whabout 9 kg7.0battery only
Jackery Explorer 1000 v21,070 Whabout 10.8 kg10.1power station
BLUETTI B300K2,764.8 Wh29.5 kg10.7expansion pack
Victron Lithium Smart 12.8 V/100 Ah1,280 Wh14 kg10.9battery only
BLUETTI Elite 100 V21,024 Wh11.5 kg11.2power station
BLUETTI Elite 200 V22,073.6 Wh24.2 kg11.7power station
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus1,024 Whabout 12.5 kg12.2power station
Anker SOLIX C10001,056 Wh12.9 kg12.2power station
Goal Zero Yeti 1500X1,516 Wh20.7 kg13.7power station, NMC cells
BLUETTI AC1801,152 Wh35.3 lb (about 16 kg)13.9power station
BLUETTI Elite 30 V2288 Wh4.3 kg14.9power station
Enphase IQ Battery 5P5.0 kWh usable78.9 kg installed15.8wall-mounted home battery
EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus286 Wh10.4 lb (about 4.7 kg)16.5power station

Weights are the makers' figures as read on October 4, 2026 or in our September 23, 2026 guides; the IQ Battery 5P is included for scale, not because anyone carries it.

Why small units are heavy per kWh

The inverter, the ports, the display and the case weigh roughly the same whether they sit on 288 Wh or 1,024 Wh of cells. Spread over fewer watt-hours, that fixed mass dominates, which is why the two sub-300 Wh units land at the bottom of the table despite being the easiest to lift. The same effect shows in price per Wh, in our companion guide.

Why bare batteries win

Take the inverter away and a 1,280 Wh LiFePO4 battery is 9 to 14 kg. That is the case for a 12 V system in a van, where the inverter is bolted down and only the battery's weight matters for payload; our guide on inverter sizing for a 100 Ah battery covers the other half.

Check the actual handling task

Compare total weight, handle layout, wheels, stairs and vehicle-loading height. There is no universal 20-25 kg single-person carrying threshold. Use assistance or lifting equipment when appropriate and follow the manufacturer's handling instructions.

Can the Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus and HomePower 2000 Plus v2 Share Expansion Batteries?

Wall Charging Speed, Model by Model: What 380 W to 1,800 W Inputs Mean in Minutes

Shopping for one? Browse portable power stations →

Sources

  1. Victron Energy — Lithium NG 12,8 V manual, Technical data
  2. Victron Energy — Lithium Smart Battery Manual, 7. Technical data
  3. Jackery — Explorer 1000 v2
  4. BLUETTI — B300K Expansion Battery
  5. BLUETTI — Elite 100 V2 Portable Power Station
  6. BLUETTI — Elite 200 V2 Portable Power Station
  7. EcoFlow US — DELTA 3 Plus Portable Power Station
  8. Anker SOLIX — C1000 Portable Power Station
  9. Goal Zero — Yeti 1500X Portable Power Station
  10. BLUETTI — AC180 Portable Power Station
  11. BLUETTI — Elite 30 V2 Portable Power Station
  12. Enphase — IQ Battery 5P Data Sheet
  13. EcoFlow US — RIVER 3 Max (RIVER 3 Plus + Extra Battery 300)

We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.

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