SpaceX has significantly increased its purchases of Tesla Megapack battery storage systems, spending approximately $295 million during the second quarter of 2026.
The company’s total Megapack purchases have now reached $329 million since the beginning of the year, according to its latest earnings report.
The transaction highlights the growing financial and operational connections between companies controlled by Elon Musk, who serves as SpaceX’s chief executive and largest shareholder while also leading Tesla.
Tesla Megapacks Could Support xAI Data Centers
The industrial-scale batteries are likely to be deployed at data centers operated by xAI, which became part of SpaceX following the merger between the two companies.
Before the merger, xAI had purchased approximately $430 million worth of Tesla Megapacks for its data center infrastructure.
During the first quarter of 2026, however, xAI purchased only around $34 million worth of the battery systems, indicating a sharp increase in spending during the following quarter.
Tesla Megapacks are large-scale energy storage systems designed to store electricity and deliver it quickly when demand rises. This makes them particularly valuable for energy-intensive facilities such as artificial intelligence data centers.
SpaceX Also Purchased Tesla Cybertrucks
SpaceX also disclosed that it had purchased approximately $131 million worth of Tesla Cybertrucks as of December 2025.
The vehicles were acquired at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, according to the company’s regulatory filing.
These transactions further demonstrate the close commercial relationships between Musk-led businesses, including SpaceX, Tesla, xAI and the social media platform X.
xAI acquired X in 2025 before the artificial intelligence company was later acquired by SpaceX.
Why AI Data Centers Need Large Battery Systems
xAI has relied heavily on natural gas to power its data center operations, including turbines used near its Colossus data center project.
Despite this reliance on natural gas, large battery systems such as Tesla Megapack remain an important part of modern data center infrastructure.
The batteries can provide substantial backup power almost immediately, helping data centers continue operating during outages, supply disruptions or sudden increases in electricity demand.
They can also provide additional power to graphics processing units, or GPUs, when computing activity increases.
Batteries Help Manage Fluctuating GPU Power Demand
AI data centers do not consume electricity at a constant rate. Their power requirements rise and fall depending on whether computing systems are training AI models or processing inference requests.
These sudden increases in electricity consumption can result in higher charges from local utility providers. They may also place excessive pressure on generators and other on-site power systems.
Battery storage helps smooth out these peaks by releasing stored electricity when demand rises and recharging when consumption declines.
This allows data centers to maintain more consistent operations while reducing energy costs and lowering the risk of power disruptions.
SpaceX Megapack Purchases Reflect AI Infrastructure Expansion
SpaceX’s growing investment in Tesla Megapacks reflects the increasing energy requirements associated with artificial intelligence infrastructure.
As xAI expands its data center capacity and deploys more powerful computing systems, reliable energy storage is becoming essential for supporting GPU workloads, managing demand fluctuations and maintaining uninterrupted operations.
The purchases also illustrate how Musk’s companies are increasingly relying on one another for infrastructure, technology and operational support.
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