In a surprising partnership ahead of the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), electric vehicle and clean energy giant Tesla has announced it is integrating its popular home battery and solar products with Samsung‘s SmartThings smart home platform. The collaboration will allow SmartThings users unprecedented visibility into and control over their home energy use through the Tesla Powerwall battery and Tesla solar products.

The partnership, a first for Tesla in the smart home space, will connect Tesla’s suite of energy products to Samsung’s widely-used SmartThings Energy application. There, SmartThings users will be able to view real-time usage data from Tesla products, receive notifications and alerts based on that usage, and even control Tesla devices to optimize home energy consumption.

CES attendees next week will get a preview of the integration at Samsung’s exhibit. On display will be a demonstration of the SmartThings Energy app connected to and controlling a Tesla Powerwall home battery. However, Samsung stated that the actual integration will not be available to consumers until at least the second quarter of 2024. Additional functionality may also be added before the official launch.

The integration is made possible through Tesla’s public API for its energy products, which Samsung claims it is the first company to utilize for smart home capabilities. The API allows access to Tesla device usage histories and settings that SmartThings Energy can harness to provide actionable insights and automation options to improve whole home energy efficiency.

For example, SmartThings users will be able to use features like Storm Watch that leverage AI to notify users of upcoming severe weather that may impact solar energy production from their Tesla solar roof or solar panels. The app can also track real-time and historical energy usage from the Powerwall to optimize its operation and potentially reduce dependence on grid energy.

The partnership signals Tesla’s ambitions beyond electric vehicles and into the wider home energy ecosystem. As more households add solar, battery storage, EV charging and connected devices, visibility and control of energy use is becoming increasingly important. With Samsung’s large smart home footprint, its SmartThings Energy platform offers a prime channel for expanding Tesla’s reach.

The companies have not ruled out expanding the collaboration in the future. We may eventually see bidirectional integrations where Tesla products can also be controlled through Samsung appliances, TVs and devices. As home electricity needs grow more complex, partnerships like this demonstrate how technology leaders are coming together to meet consumer needs for sustainability and cost savings.