Autobidder for Fleet Operators


A short guide to Tesla Autobidder and what it means for fleet depots, Megapacks, and microgrids.

Autobidder is Tesla's real-time energy trading and optimization software. It controls how Megapacks and other Tesla energy assets buy, store, and sell electricity. Instead of operators manually scheduling when batteries charge or discharge, Autobidder makes thousands of decisions automatically based on price signals, grid conditions, and local constraints.

For fleet depots, Autobidder turns a Megapack from a simple battery into an intelligent energy asset that continuously works to lower cost per kilowatt-hour and sometimes earn revenue.


What Autobidder Actually Does

At a high level, Autobidder:

  • Monitors electricity prices, time-of-use windows, and grid conditions.
  • Decides when to charge Megapacks, typically during low-cost or off-peak periods.
  • Decides when to discharge Megapacks to support the depot or the grid during high-cost periods.
  • Reduces expensive demand peaks by discharging when site load spikes.
  • Submits and manages bids in energy and ancillary service markets where regulations allow.

The goal is always the same: maximize the economic value of the energy storage system while respecting local operating limits and reliability requirements.


Is Autobidder a Standalone Product?

Autobidder is not sold as a public, standalone software subscription. It is provided by Tesla Energy as part of Megapack and other large-scale storage deployments. In practice, this means:

  • You do not license Autobidder as a separate app or platform.
  • You gain access to Autobidder's optimization capabilities when you deploy Tesla energy storage hardware and sign the appropriate agreements.
  • Tesla often operates or co-operates the asset with you, especially when participating in wholesale markets.

For fleet operators, the path to using Autobidder runs through Megapack or other Tesla energy storage products, not through a standalone software purchase.

Do You Need Tesla Vehicles or Superchargers?

Autobidder is tied to Tesla energy storage, not to Tesla vehicles or Superchargers. To use Autobidder at a fleet depot:

  • You need Tesla Megapacks (or other supported Tesla storage assets) on-site.
  • You do not need Tesla-brand chargers; Autobidder can optimize the energy side while third-party chargers handle vehicles.
  • You do not need an all-Tesla fleet; Autobidder makes decisions about when to charge and discharge storage, not which vehicles plug in.

In other words, Autobidder cares about electrons and markets, not about badges on the vehicles.


How Autobidder Helps Fleet Depots

From a depot operator's perspective, Autobidder helps in several concrete ways:

  • Peak shaving: discharges Megapacks during high-load moments to prevent expensive demand spikes.
  • Energy arbitrage: charges storage when electricity is cheap and discharges when it is expensive.
  • Time-of-use optimization: aligns bulk charging with off-peak windows and uses stored energy during on-peak windows.
  • Grid services revenue: participates in frequency regulation or other ancillary services markets where allowed, generating additional revenue.
  • Resilience: supports the depot during outages or grid constraints, keeping critical charging running.

These actions reduce effective cost per kWh at the depot, particularly when the Megapack capacity is sized correctly for the fleet's load profile.


Autobidder and Tesla Cybercab Depots

Tesla's planned Cybercab fleets will operate at large, highly utilized depots with predictable charging patterns. Autobidder is a natural fit because it can:

  • Charge Megapacks during the lowest-cost windows, including times when Cybercabs are off duty.
  • Discharge to support high-intensity charging waves without triggering new demand peaks.
  • Sell surplus energy back to the grid when vehicle load is low and grid prices are high.

In this configuration, Autobidder turns Cybercab depots into intelligent microgrids that consistently drive down cost per mile.


Autobidder and Tesla Semi Depots

Tesla Semi depots will handle very large batteries and high-power Megachargers, producing utility-scale loads at individual sites. For these depots, Autobidder can:

  • Coordinate multi-MWh Megapacks with grid imports to smooth extreme peaks.
  • Manage solar, storage, and grid power as a unified system.
  • Monetize spare Megapack capacity during periods when trucks are not charging heavily.

The result is an energy cost structure that is extremely difficult for traditional diesel-based freight operators to match.


Can Non-Tesla Fleets Use Autobidder?

Yes, with an important condition: non-Tesla fleets must use Tesla energy storage hardware for Autobidder to apply. A typical scenario might look like this:

  • A mixed-brand EV fleet installs Megapacks at its depot.
  • The site uses a mix of Tesla and third-party chargers.
  • Tesla Energy configures Autobidder to optimize Megapack charge and discharge around local tariffs and fleet load.

In this case, Autobidder manages the energy layer, even though the vehicles and chargers may be from multiple manufacturers.


Where Autobidder Fits in the Microgrid Stack

At a depot that uses a microgrid architecture, Autobidder effectively sits at the top of the energy control stack:

  • Solar inverters and grid interconnect handle raw power flows.
  • Megapacks provide energy storage and fast response capability.
  • Local controllers manage safety and basic power quality.
  • Autobidder makes economic decisions about when to charge, discharge, or interact with the grid.

This separation of roles allows Autobidder to focus on value, while the underlying hardware focuses on stability and reliability.


Implications for Fleet Economics

For fleet operators, the practical impact of Autobidder is a lower and more stable depot cost per kWh. In many cases, it can:

  • Reduce effective all-in depot cost from a typical 0.10–0.18 per kWh into the lower end of that range.
  • Protect the depot from rare but costly demand spikes that would otherwise inflate monthly bills.
  • Generate revenue that partially offsets fixed costs of the storage system.

As fleets grow and charging patterns become more predictable, Autobidder's optimization potential increases.


Key Takeaways

  • Autobidder is Tesla's real-time energy optimization engine for Megapacks and other storage assets.
  • It is not a standalone public software product; it is delivered with Tesla energy storage projects.
  • Autobidder requires Tesla storage hardware but can operate alongside third-party chargers and mixed-brand fleets.
  • For Cybercab and Semi depots, Autobidder will be central to achieving very low effective cost per kWh.
  • For non-Tesla fleets, Autobidder becomes available when Megapacks are deployed at depots or microgrids.