BigBattery 48V 5.12kWh HUSKY 2 Battery Review - The Most Underrated 48V Battery on the Market?
The BigBattery HUSKY 2 is marketed as a 48V LiFePO4 battery, primarily designed for things like golf carts. But after spending some time with it, we’ve realized this battery is so much more than that. Whether you’re into RVing, boating, living the “Van Life”, or just need a reliable source of power for your off-grid cabin, this battery packs some serious potential.
Of course, there are some things we don’t love about it, but we’ll get to that later. First, let’s dive into what makes the HUSKY 2 from BigBattery stand out and why it might just be the most underrated 48V battery on the market.
Plus, we’ve got a pretty juicy discount code for you if you plan on ordering your own. Let’s get started!
Overview of the Specs and Features
One of the first things we noticed is the fact that the HUSKY 2 is not a lightweight. At roughly 100 pounds, it just about passes our signature “Tiny Baby Lift Test.” But, the truth is, it’s really awkward to pick up, even with the built-in handles.
While there’s no getting around the fact that it’s heavy and bulky, it’s actually worth it because this thing is a bit of a powerhouse. As a 5.12kWh 100Ah LiFePO4 lithium battery, meaning it has a total capacity of 5,120 watt-hours, it can store some serious power. It’s also designed to discharge continuously at 150 amps, so you can pull up to 7,600 watts without tripping the fairly robust and fully integrated Battery Management System (BMS).
Beyond that, one of the best things about the HUSKY 2 is its scalability. You can connect up to 16 of these bad boys together, giving you a whopping 81.9kWh of total storage capacity. For a battery of this size, that’s pretty impressive. Each battery is also rated for up to 5,000 cycles at 80% depth of discharge, though we think the advertised cycle count is a bit optimistic, as that would put it above other batteries of this size.
The exterior is also made from a durable composite material (not metal, but undeniably tough), and it has a IP65 rating, meaning it’s water-resistant but not quite waterproof. You’ll find two watertight communication ports, but, unfortunately, no screen or breaker—something we’ll touch on when we talk about the things we don’t like.
Testing the HUSKY 2 in Cold Temperatures
Another thing that really stood out to us early on when we were first looking at the HUSKY 2 is its ability to withstand colder climates. It’s rated to charge and discharge at temperatures as low as -20°C (-4° F), which is pretty rare for lithium batteries. Most batteries allow discharging at those temps, but few allow charging when they’re this cold.
We tested this by throwing it in a deep freezer for a day, dropping the battery down to -24°C, even colder than it’s rated for. The BMS went into protection mode as expected, preventing any damage to the cells when we tried charging and discharging at these frigid temperatures. This is a feature that would be incredibly useful for anyone living in a cold-weather climate or using the battery for outdoor setups when overnight temperatures can drop. Basically, you don’t have to worry about frying your battery if the temperature dips, which is something you can’t say for some of the cheaper batteries that we’ve looked at in the past.
Testing the BigBattery HUSKY 2’s Performance
During our performance testing, we ran a 170 amp load (about 8,700 watts), pushing the battery far beyond its 150 amp limit. The HUSKY 2 held up for about 30 seconds before tripping, which is still impressive for a 100Ah battery. We also ran it with a more typical 100 amp load, and it performed exactly as expected, running flawlessly for an hour. Even when we pushed it to 113 amps, it only lost a bit of efficiency, running for 49 minutes and 45 seconds instead of the full hour. All in all, it performed exactly like BigBattery said it would.
What We Didn’t Like About the HUSKY 2
If you regularly watch our videos or read our articles, you know that we rarely find a perfect product. This is because we always want to make sure you get the full picture, so even if it’s just a minor gripe, we’re going to share it with you. So, here’s what we didn’t like about the HUSKY 2.
First, there’s no screen or breaker on the battery itself. Sure, it comes with an app, more on that next, but a display screen is always convenient for quick status reads, and a built-in breaker would have given us greater peace of mind. Without that display screen, quick, at-a-glance updates are a bit annoying because you have to open the app on your phone, tablet, or laptop.
Speaking of the app, it’s not great. The truth is, it’s really obvious this was an app originally developed for a Chinese market. When we first turned it on, we were met with Mandarin or Cantonese characters (we’re unsure which), rather than English, which led to some confusion. These non-English pop-up messages continued, and we had to use a translation app to figure out what they said. Turns out they were just telling us to connect the app to the battery via Bluetooth. Once we did get the Bluetooth connected, the app actually worked quite well, but the setup process could be a lot smoother, and we wish they had geared it towards North American buyers as soon as you turned it on.
Another thing we weren’t thrilled about is that the HUSKY 2 doesn’t physically stack or organize nearly as well as a server rack battery system would. If you’re planning on a larger setup and want to connect more than six HUSKY 2 Batteries, it’s not the most space-efficient option. However, this may not be a big deal for someone just planning to use a couple of the batteries, or if you plan on using it in a mobile application, like an RV or boat, where you might not need to actually stack the batteries on top of each other.
What We Loved About the HUSKY 2
Now that we have these minor issues out of the way, let’s get into what we really liked about the HUSKY 2. The truth is, there’s a lot to love about this big ol’ lithium battery.
As mentioned, one of the standout features is the modular design. They work together really well, even if they don’t stack as neatly as server rack batteries. Each battery also comes with pre-existing metal attachment points, allowing you to bolt them down in pretty much any configuration. Whether it’s mounted in a Jeep, RV, a boat, or just a custom shelf in your basement or garage, you can secure it safely and customize its placement to fit the needs of your setup.
The IP65 rating is another huge plus, especially if you’re planning to use it outdoors or in a shed, garage, or cabin. It can handle occasional splashes, humid air, and basic exposure to the elements—just avoid fully soaking or submerging it and you should be fine. Again, this makes it ideal for boating, off-grid setups, and overlanding.
We also noticed that the battery came with wires and terminal connectors, which is a nice touch since many batteries don’t include these. The little things matter too—like the fact that it comes with clip ropes for easier handling when lifting and carrying it around. On top of that, the clip ropes are really sturdy and feel like they’ll actually last. Again, not something they needed to include, but we definitely appreciate these extras, especially when they’re really practical inclusions.
Bonus Shoutout: BigBattery’s Top-Notch Customer Service
We can’t wrap up this review without giving an extra shout-out to BigBattery’s customer service. We actually received this battery as part of a bundle, and we had some initial issues setting it up with the inverter it came with.
When we called their support line, we got answers immediately—twice! The staff were knowledgeable, quick to help, and made the process a lot smoother than we expected. We’ve dealt with our fair share of customer service reps for solar companies and battery manufacturers, and to be honest, few encounters have been as pleasant as what we experienced when we called BigBattery.
Our Final Thoughts
The BigBattery HUSKY 2 is definitely an underrated option in the 48V battery market. While it has a couple of minor drawbacks, like the lack of a display screen and a somewhat weird and clunky app, the pros far outweigh the cons. With its modular design, cold-weather capabilities, impressive performance and Battery Management System, and, of course, the solid customer support, this battery is ideal for a wide range of applications.
We think there are plenty of people that should seriously consider it, including outdoor enthusiasts, RV owners, boaters, and basically anyone in need of reliable off-grid power. If you’re looking to pick one up, and you plan on shopping through BigBattery themselves, use the discount code SOLARLAB10 for 10% off your purchase.
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