Tesla Model 3 + Kostal Plenticore Integration

Reusing a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y high-voltage battery pack (350–410 V nominal) with a Kostal Plenticore Plus hybrid inverter. Kostal uses a proprietary battery interface — the BMS-EV controller emulates a KOSTAL BAT device.

Short answer. A Tesla Model 3/Y HV pack operates at 260–410 V DC, comfortably inside the Kostal Plenticore Plus 3.0–10 battery-port range of 120–720 V. Kostal does not use Pylontech, BYD or generic CAN protocols on the battery port — it uses its own KOSTAL Smart Battery Communication protocol. The BMS-EV controller emulates a KOSTAL BAT device to the inverter while translating Tesla vehicle CAN internally.

What works

Tesla Model 3 Standard Range LFP, Long Range NCA, Performance NCA.
Tesla Model Y Long Range and Performance packs.
Kostal Plenticore Plus 3.0, 4.2, 5.5, 7.0, 8.5, 10 kW — single- and three-phase variants.
Kostal Solar Portal telemetry: SoC, pack voltage, charge/discharge power.

Supported inverter models

Inverter	Battery DC range	Power	Phase	Notes
Kostal Plenticore Plus 3.0	120–720 V	3.0 kW	Single-phase	Tesla fits
Kostal Plenticore Plus 4.2	120–720 V	4.2 kW	Single-phase	Tesla fits
Kostal Plenticore Plus 5.5	120–720 V	5.5 kW	Three-phase	Tesla fits
Kostal Plenticore Plus 7.0	120–720 V	7.0 kW	Three-phase	Tesla fits
Kostal Plenticore Plus 8.5	120–720 V	8.5 kW	Three-phase	Tesla fits
Kostal Plenticore Plus 10	120–720 V	10 kW	Three-phase	Tesla fits

Battery voltage range match

Tesla Model 3/Y voltages compared to the Kostal 120–720 V window:

SoC	Tesla voltage	Kostal headroom
0% (cutoff)	~260 V	140 V above minimum
50%	~360 V	Comfortable centre
100%	~410 V	310 V below ceiling

Kostal's 720 V ceiling means the Plenticore Plus is compatible not only with Tesla but also with 800 V EV packs — Tesla's operating range sits comfortably in the middle of the window.

CAN protocol mapping

Kostal Plenticore Plus does not accept Pylontech, BYD or generic CAN protocols on the battery interface. It uses the proprietary KOSTAL Smart Battery Communication protocol over RS-485 (not CAN). The BMS-EV firmware for Kostal:

Enumerates as a KOSTAL BAT battery on the RS-485 bus at 115 200 baud.
Reports SoC (0–100%) from Tesla BMS in the KOSTAL SoC register.
Reports pack voltage, current, charge/discharge limits in the KOSTAL data model.
Reports temperature min/max in the corresponding KOSTAL registers.
Handles Kostal's periodic heartbeat and battery-command frames (idle / charge / discharge / standby).

Internally, the BMS-EV controller still reads Tesla vehicle CAN at 500 kbps and reformats to the KOSTAL RS-485 protocol.

Wiring architecture

┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ │ Tesla Model 3 │ │ BMS-EV │ │ Kostal │ │ HV pack │ │ Controller │ │ Plenticore Plus │ │ (260-410 V) │ │ │ │ │ │ │ CAN │ Protocol │RS-485│ │ │ Tesla BMS kept │─────►│ translator │─────►│ BAT port │ │ │ 500k │ CAN↔RS485 │115k2 │ │ └────┬────────┬───┘ └──────────────┘ └────┬─────────┬───┘ │ HV+ │ HV- │ BAT+ │ BAT- └────────┴─────────────────────────────────────┘─────────┘

Installation requirements

Engineering values below are examples. Final conductor cross-section and protective-device sizing must be calculated for the actual pack, maximum current, cable length, installation method, ambient temperature and applicable local standards (IEC 60364-7-712, VDE-AR-N 4105, NEC 690).

HV cabling: 25 mm² copper for 3–10 kW Kostal inverters.
Contactors: Reuse Tesla's factory contactors. BMS-EV sequences precharge via the Tesla BMS.
DC fuse: 40–63 A gPV depending on inverter power.
Communication: Shielded twisted-pair CAT-6 or better between BMS-EV controller (RS-485 side) and Kostal RJ-45 BAT communication port.
Kostal firmware: Requires Plenticore Plus firmware ≥ v01.85 with the "KOSTAL Smart Battery" option enabled in installer menu.
License: Kostal Plenticore Plus requires a paid "Battery" activation code from Kostal — the BMS-EV kit ships instructions on obtaining it from your Kostal distributor.

Known limitations

Kostal Plenticore G1 (non-Plus, older) does not have the battery port and cannot be used with any battery — only Plenticore Plus is supported.
The KOSTAL Smart Battery Communication protocol is proprietary and Kostal reserves the right to change the wire format between firmware revisions. The BMS-EV controller receives firmware updates when Kostal introduces breaking changes.
Kostal Solar Portal shows only aggregated SoC and power. Per-cell diagnostics require the BMS-EV web UI.
Tesla Structural Pack (post-2022 Model Y Austin/Berlin) is not supported.
Emergency Power Supply (EPS) on Plenticore Plus is limited to ~3 kW and requires the optional Kostal Backup Switch — the battery-side integration is unchanged.

FAQ

Does Kostal accept Pylontech protocol like other inverters?

No. Kostal uses its own KOSTAL Smart Battery Communication protocol over RS-485. This is a fundamental difference from FoxESS, Solis, SolaX and others.

Do I need to buy the Kostal Battery Activation code separately?

Yes. Kostal charges a one-time activation fee to unlock the battery port on Plenticore Plus. This is a Kostal licensing decision, not a BMS-EV requirement. Contact your Kostal distributor.

Which Kostal firmware version is required?

v01.85 or later. Older firmware does not support the current version of the battery communication protocol.

Can I combine Kostal PV production with the Tesla pack?

Yes. Plenticore Plus has independent PV MPPTs and a battery port — solar produces on the DC side, Tesla pack charges/discharges on the battery port, both share the AC output.

Is RS-485 wiring more sensitive than CAN?

Comparable. Use shielded twisted-pair, keep runs under 10 m for reliability, ground the shield at one end only, and observe A/B polarity.

What voltage does the Kostal Plenticore battery port support?

120–720 V. This range is compatible with Tesla (260–410 V), BMW i3, VW MEB and even 800 V packs like Taycan.

Does the Kostal Solar Portal show real-time Tesla pack state?

SoC, pack voltage and battery power are shown. Individual cell voltages and per-module temperatures are not exposed by Kostal — use the BMS-EV controller's local web UI for those.

Order a Tesla + Kostal BMS-EV controller

Pre-configured KOSTAL BAT firmware

→

Last updated: 2026-09-18

Current firmware: 15.0.14

Technical author: BMS-EV engineering team (Clima Boost sp. z o.o., Poland)

Reviewer: Jakub Lipiński, founder/lead engineer BMS-EV

Revision: 2026-09-18 — aligned with firmware 15.0.14, SOFAR 180–800 V DC verification, Kia EV6 + SOFAR HYD 15KTL case study reference