Coming soon: BioLite Basecharge and SolarPanel

Being involved with a site like Knapsack definitely has its perks, one of which is getting notification well in advance (yup, we observe embargoes!) of cool new things that are launching down the line. Sometimes it’s just a few weeks out, and other times supply chain woes have us biding our time a little bit longer. Well, the time has finally come to tell you about the new BioLite BaseCharge and SolarPanel.

As you might guess from the names of these new devices, these are all about storing electricity (and generating it from the sun). While we’re used to portable battery packs giving us something in the realm of 10,000 or maybe 20,000 mAh. That’s fine for charging up your phone, but sometimes you want (or need) something a bit beefier. Whether it’s keeping essentials running during a power outage, letting the electrons flow at the campsite, or even doing some DIY that’s too far away from the outlet, the new BioLite BaseCharge should have you covered.

For this first foray, there are two versions of the BioLite BaseCharge coming – a 600W version (at $699) and a 1200W one (for $1699). Aside from the capacity of the battery inside the case (and the attendant weight differences), the major differences is with how many outputs you have for charging things (check out the full specs down below for the differences). While the presence of USB-A and USB-C ports, wireless charging, as well as the “cigarette lighter” port are great, we really like seeing those regular AC outlets – aka, the types of outlets you plug stuff into at home. With those AC outlets, you’ll be able to power just about anything.

You might not want to try running your refrigerator off of the BioLite BaseCharge (a generator would serve you better there), you can run a variety of smaller appliances off of it, allowing you to get meal prep done even when storms cut power to the house. Or run your laptop and a projector for a movie night out in the backyard. Or, as we mentioned up at the top, keep your tools powered up (and batteries charging) while you’re doing DIY well away from where you could easily get electricity. In other words, these little boxes will have plenty of uses.

Regardless of if you opt for the BioLite BaseCharge 600 or 1500, you’ll have standard features on them, which include:

Easy to use – the front interface is intuitive, easy to understand, and features plug-and-play AC / DC port systems for easy charging.

Easy to understand – the visual dashboard demystifies energy usage for all consumers.
- Easy Read Smart LCD Dashboard – instantaneous calculations on power in/out, battery life, and time until empty or full. Takes the guesswork out of “how long can this run my X?” and the more nuanced readout of multiple devices plugged in at once.
- Digital Messaging Center – System notifications, temperature alerts, port activations, and troubleshooting actions are all listed in clear language, so you don’t have to reach for the instruction manual.
- Energy Odometer – a resettable measurement tool that educates customers on their energy consumption so they can track habits and behaviors over specific periods of time or activity
Durability – BioLite’s 12-point safety checkpoint system prevents circuit overload and keeps your devices (laptops, TVs, Cell Phones) safe if you plug too many devices in.
Great value – more watts per dollar, more watts per weight, and more charging ports than most competitors.

The dashboard on these sounds very interesting as well, giving you a clear idea of how much longer you can run what’s plugged in, battery life left, and how much longer it will take to charge it to full. Speaking of charging, you can of course plug it in, and hit the turbo by using another USB-C PD charger to throw more electrons in. Out camping, though, that may not be an option. That’s where the SolarPanel 100 ($399.95) comes in clutch. With a single panel (and good sunlight) you can charge the 600 in just 8 hours, while the 1500 would need four panels chained together to hit the 4-hour charge time. Still, at $1100, you’ve got a solar setup that would prove to be very mobile, and no doubt come in handy more often than not.

If these all sound very interesting – we agree with you, but we’ve also got to sit tight a little bit longer. The pre-order for these devices won’t be opening up until September 7, 2022. However, you can of course pre-register for them to stay up to date on the news, and be notified of earlybird specials. For that, just go on over bioliteenergy.com

Tech Specs from BioLite

BaseCharge 600

25% More Capacity Than 500 Wh Power

Up to 600W (1,000 W Surge) AC
USB-C PD (100 W) and Wireless Charging
Easy-Read Display for Real-Time Feedback & Control

Safe & Reliable Design With 12-Checkpoint Battery Safety System
BATTERY: 622 Wh (21.6 V, 28.8 Ah) Li-Ion (NMC)
INPUTS
- Wall/Solar Input (HPP): 120 W (10-30 V DC, 10 A max)
- USB-C PD: 100 W
AC OUTPUTS
- (2x) 110 V: Pure Sine Wave, 600 W, 1,000 W Surge
- Plug: Type A
WIRELESS OUTPUT: 10W Wireless Charger

DC OUTPUTS
- (1x) 12 V Car Port Output: 120 W
- (2x) 12 V DC Barrel Ports: 120 W, 5.5 mm OD / 2.1 mm ID

USB OUTPUTS
- (2x) USB-A: 5 V/2.4 A
- (1x) USB-C: 5 V/3.0 A
- (1x) USB-C PD: 5 V, 9 V, 12 V, 20 V / 5 A (100 W)
DIMENSIONS: 12.2 x 7.9 x 7.9 in (309 x 200 x 201 mm)
WEIGHT: 13 lbs (5.9 kg)

CHARGE TIME
- 7 Hours (Included Wall Charger)
- 3.5 Hours (Wall Charger + USB-C PD)
- 6 Hours (Peak Input, 1x SolarPanel 100)

BaseCharge 1500

Up to 1200W (2,400W Surge) AC output
USB-C PD (100W) and Wireless Charging Included

Easy-Read Display for Real-Time Feedback & Control
Safe & Reliable Design With 12-Checkpoint Battery Safety System
BATTERY: 1521 Wh (21.6 V, 70.4 Ah) Li-Ion (NMC)

INPUTS
- Wall/Solar Input (HPP): 400 W (10-30 V DC, 20 A max)
- USB-C PD: 100 W

AC OUTPUTS
- (3x) 110 V: Pure Sine Wave, 1200 W, 2,400 W Surge
- Plug: Type A

WIRELESS OUTPUT: 10W Wireless Charger
DC OUTPUTS
- (1x) 12 V Car Port Output: 120 W
- (2x) 12 V DC Barrel Ports: 120 W, 5.5 mm OD / 2.1 mm ID
USB OUTPUTS
- (2x) USB-A: 5 V/2.4 A
- (2x) USB-C: 5 V/3.0 A
- (1x) USB-C PD: 5 V, 9 V, 12 V, 20 V / 5 A (100 W)
DIMENSIONS: 14.4 x 12.2 x 8.2 in (367 x 310 x 209 mm)

WEIGHT: 26.5 lbs (12.1 kg)
CHARGE TIME
- 13.5 Hours (Included Wall Charger)
- 8 Hours (Wall Charger + USB-C PD)
- 4 Hours (Peak Input, 4x SolarPanel 100)

SolarPanel 100

Optimal Sun System Sets Panel Up for Direct Rays via Integrated Sundial and Kickstand

92 in2 of Surface Area Packs Down to 20x15x1.5in With Easy-Carry Handles
Durable and Water Resistant, With Storage Pouch for Added Protection
Works with BioLite or non-BioLite Stations using a standard connector

Compatible With 4×1 Chaining Adapter Cable for up to 400W Solar Generator
WEIGHT: 9.5 Ibs (4.3 kg)
OUTPUTS
- High Power Pole (HPP) Powerstation connection
- USB-C PD, 45 W
- 2x USB-A

POWER OUTPUT: 100 W in Peak Sunshine
DIMENSIONS (FOLDED): 20.1 x 14.3 x 1.5 in (50.8 x 36.3 x 3.8 cm)
DIMENSIONS (UNFOLDED): 20.1 x 57.5 x 1.0 in (50.8 x 146.0 x 2.5 cm)