For many consumers, Bluetti has long been synonymous with portable power stations – products associated with camping, off-grid trips, and emergency backup.
But at CES 2026, the company made it clear that it wants to change that perception. In an extended chat with Trusted Reviews, Michael Gibson, Business Development Manager at Bluetti, told us the brand is now focused on expanding its identity into full off-grid, residential, and scalable energy storage solutions.
“What we’re highlighting at CES is really changing the perception of Bluetti,” Gibson said. “Bluetti has been known for portable power station solutions. But what we’re showing is that we’re really in our off-grid solutions.”
From Portable Power to Purpose-Built Off-Grid Systems
One of the key products Bluetti showcased was its new RV5 Solar System, designed specifically for RV, marine, and mobile applications. Unlike traditional portable units, this system is intended to be permanently installed.
“That is a total off-grid product that is really designed for ease of operations for people that are doing RV, marine – things of that nature,” Gibson explained.
A major differentiator is the system’s 48-volt battery architecture, a significant shift away from the 12-volt systems commonly used in RV setups.
“Part of changing the ground aspect of that product is it’s a 48-volt battery solution, where a lot of the RV, DC product is all the 12-volt battery,” he said. “So the benefit of a 48-volt application for that product is that you actually have more battery capacity in less space.”
Bluetti also emphasised simplification and completeness in the RV5 system.
“One of the other things that we did with our RV5 solar system was really give you a complete system and give you the wiring to make your life totally easy,” Gibson said. “When you had some of our competitors’ products, you would have to cut wire, crimp wire, all of that. For the RV5 solar system, it’s a complete system with wiring.”
Integrated Design to Reduce Complexity
At the centre of the RV5 is an all-in-one hub that integrates multiple components into a single unit.
“The hub is an all-in-one component, so it has the inverter, it has the charge controller, it has power connections, it has everything built into the device to save it a lot of space,” Gibson said. “And it takes out a lot of the engineering need compared to other products.”
He contrasted this approach with how customers previously used Bluetti products. “In the past, they would take our portable power solution and bring it to power things in a camper,” he said. “This is now fixed, mounted and designed to totally stay in there.”
Expanding the Apex Platform
Bluetti also used CES to highlight expanded capabilities for its Apex platform. While the Apex was introduced last year, new battery options significantly increase its scalability. The new B500K battery increases storage capacity compared to earlier packs.
For Gibson, Apex stands out because of its electrical output and scalability. “The Apex was already very, very different in the fact that it was a 240-volt solution,” he said. “Where our previous generation was AC500, AC300. That was a 120-volt solution.”
With expanded battery support, Apex can now move closer to whole-home backup territory.
“You go from a basically a 2.7-kilowatt-hour battery pack to a true 5-kilowatt battery pack,” Gibson said. “But you still can put six batteries in one stack, so now that really can become a whole backup solution.”
Entering the Residential Energy Storage Market
Bluetti’s broader shift into residential energy storage was also on display through its Energy Pro lineup, including the Energy Pro 6K.
“The Energy Pro 6K is our all-in-one battery combination system,” Gibson explained. “That comes with our Energy Hub Smart Panel.”
One of the most important upgrades is 200-amp pass-through capability. “The significance of the 200 amp pass-through is that homeowners no longer have to rewire their service panels anymore,” Gibson said. “So in our previous generation product, you would have to put in a sub-panel to do that.”
This change dramatically lowers installation barriers and costs, helping Bluetti compete in markets previously out of reach.
Making Energy Storage More Accessible
When asked whether Bluetti’s recent advances are about making energy storage easier for more people to use, Gibson was direct.
“What we’re doing is taking brand recognition of reliable products and expanding the use hub,” he said. “Our product is wherever you can imagine power, wherever you need power.”
Ease of installation remains a priority even as systems become more advanced. “A lot of the components that are connected to our energy storage system are keyed,” Gibson said. “Meaning that you can’t wire it wrong. It only goes one way or the other.”
From Direct-to-Consumer to B2B Expansion
Gibson also addressed Bluetti’s growing focus on B2B partnerships, installers, and distributors.
“Most people who think Bluetti think direct-to-consumer, they think DIY,” he said. “We have colleagues that are in the United States, boots on the ground, working with channel partners, working with installers, working with distributors.”
AI, Battery Management, and the Future
Bluetti is also integrating AI into its battery management systems, primarily to better understand real-world usage.
“What AI really does when you look at the purpose of the battery management system (BMS) is the bridge between the environments,” Gibson said. “AI is helping us to aggregate that information. So it’s telling your state of charge, your depth of discharge. AI allows us to see how the battery is being discharged. What that does is allow us to build better batteries and better user interfaces”.
While the benefits may not be immediately visible to users, Gibson sees long-term value. “It’s allowing us to have information about our products in real time and get feedback on how our users are using it,” he said.
Sustainability Through Engineering Choices
Sustainability, Gibson explained, starts at the cell level. “When we talk about our competitors, even though they look equal, all batteries aren’t created equal,” he said.
Bluetti’s use of prismatic, automotive-grade cells improves lifespan and reduces waste. “With a prismatic cell architecture, we went from 3000 cycles to 6000 cycles,” Gibson said.
He also pointed out that improved cell architecture reduces size and material usage. “Using higher quality cell architecture is allowing us to actually make our units smaller,” he said.
Looking Ahead
As Bluetti continues expanding beyond portable power, Gibson emphasised that the company isn’t abandoning its roots.
“It’s not necessarily changing or leaving the heart of Bluetti,” he said. “At the heart, we’re still a battery manufacturer company.”
From RV systems to residential energy storage and B2B partnerships, Bluetti’s CES presence underscored the company’s positioning itself for a future where energy storage is no longer optional, but essential.
This article has been published in partnership with Bluetti. You can read about our partnership policies here.
