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SpaceX Spends $329 Million on Tesla Megapacks
SpaceX purchased $329 million worth of Tesla Megapack battery-storage systems during the first half of 2026, highlighting the growing commercial links between companies controlled by Elon Musk.
The company spent $295 million during the second quarter alone, according to its latest regulatory filing. This means SpaceX’s Megapack purchases increased sharply from approximately $34 million in the first three months of the year.
Purchases accelerate in the second quarter
SpaceX recorded the Megapacks as property, plant and equipment on its balance sheet.
The company did not disclose where the batteries were installed or which part of its business would use them. However, the purchases came as SpaceX expanded the computing infrastructure supporting its AI segment.
SpaceX’s filing states that construction in progress includes AI infrastructure and data centers that have not yet entered service. Research and development spending in the AI segment also increased substantially because of higher infrastructure and cloud-computing costs.
This makes xAI’s expanding data-center operations a likely destination for at least some of the batteries, although SpaceX has not officially confirmed that connection.
Megapacks can stabilize data-center power
Tesla describes Megapack as a large-scale battery system designed to store electricity, stabilize power grids and prevent outages. Each installation combines battery modules, inverters and thermal-management equipment in an integrated system.
These capabilities can be valuable for AI data centers, which require large amounts of reliable electricity.
Battery storage can provide backup power, reduce pressure on the electrical grid during periods of high demand and help facilities manage rapid changes in computing loads. Tesla is also marketing Megapack specifically for data-center applications, including backup power and faster access to additional electrical capacity.
Commercial links between Musk’s companies grow
The latest purchases are part of a broader relationship between SpaceX, xAI and Tesla.
SpaceX disclosed that it had already purchased $506 million in Megapacks by the end of 2025. It also bought $131 million worth of Tesla Cybertrucks at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
Tesla separately reported that xAI generated approximately $430.1 million in revenue for Tesla during 2025 and another $78.1 million through February 2026, primarily through Megapack sales.
These transactions provide Tesla’s energy business with a major customer while giving Musk’s AI operations access to large-scale power-storage equipment.
They may also attract scrutiny from investors because the companies share leadership and conduct substantial related-party business with one another.
AI expansion increases energy demand
SpaceX’s filing shows that AI infrastructure is becoming a larger part of the combined company’s spending.
Research and development costs for the AI segment rose by $2.53 billion during the first half of 2026, mainly because of higher infrastructure and cloud-computing expenses. The company also reported increased debt and financing costs connected to its AI operations and xAI before their merger.
As AI models and data centers grow, access to stable electricity is becoming as important as access to advanced processors.
SpaceX’s rising Megapack purchases show how Musk’s companies are increasingly supporting one another across computing, energy storage and infrastructure. For Tesla, the relationship creates additional demand for its energy products. For SpaceX and xAI, the batteries may help support the enormous power requirements of expanding AI operations.
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