New Zealand · costs in NZD
Reverse cycle fixed air conditioner
Panasonic CU-3Z54VBR Heat Pump
Panasonic CU-3Z54VBR is a 5.4 kW reverse cycle fixed heat pump registered for sale in New Zealand under the trans-Tasman E3 energy rating scheme (registration AAC8023).
- Energy rating (cooling)
- 4
- Heating: 2.5
- Annual electricity use
- 2,524 kWh
- 260 cooling + 2,264 heating
- Estimated running cost
- $833 / year
- $69 / month · $8,329 over 10 years
- Capacity
- 5.4 kW cooling
- 7 kW heating
19% more electricity than the median of 20 comparable 5 kW reverse cycle fixed registrations (2,128 kWh a year) in the cold zone. Uses less than 5% of them.
Across all 3,611 air conditioner registrations sold in Australia, it uses less than 68% (this compares very different sizes, so the cohort figure above is the useful one).
Annual kWh is the government label figure for a residential user in the cold zone (Canberra climate: Canberra, Hobart, Ballarat, alpine areas). All of New Zealand is the cold zone on the Zoned Energy Rating Label. Cost = kWh × 33c/kWh in NZD; change the price above to your tariff.
Panasonic CU-3Z54VBR running cost by climate zone
| Climate zone | kWh / year | Per year | 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold zone | 2,524 | $833 | $8,329 |
| Mixed zone | 1,226 | $405 | $4,046 |
| Hot zone | 1,285 | $424 | $4,241 |
At 33c/kWh. Formula: cost = annual kWh × price. The kWh figure is the label’s residential estimate for that zone; commercial-profile figures are in the specifications.
Heat pumps that use less electricity
Same configuration and type, cooling capacity within 12% of 5.4 kW, at least 3% lower annual kWh in the cold zone.
| Model | Stars | Est. cost / yr | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonaire H2M052S2AE5.2 kW heating5.2 kW cooling1,883 kWh/yr | 3.5 | $621 | |
| Hyundai HYSMHS52OTC5.2 kW heating5.2 kW cooling1,883 kWh/yr | 3.5 | $621 | |
| TCL TFM2-18CHD/DVO5.2 kW heating5.2 kW cooling1,883 kWh/yr | 3.5 | $621 | |
| Hyundai HYSMHS52OTB5.2 kW heating5.2 kW cooling1,883 kWh/yr | 3.5 | $621 | |
| Toshiba RAS-2M18B2AVG-A5.6 kW heating5.2 kW cooling2,002 kWh/yr | 4 | $661 |
Heat pumps similar to the Panasonic CU-3Z54VBR
Technically comparable registrations: same configuration and type, capacity within 12%.
| Model | Stars | Est. cost / yr | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Electric MXZ-3F54VGD7 kW heating5.4 kW cooling2,378 kWh/yr | 3.5 | $785 | |
| Midea MULMI0250B5.5 kW heating5.3 kW cooling2,043 kWh/yr | 4 | $674 | |
| Kaden KM185.5 kW heating5.3 kW cooling2,085 kWh/yr | 4 | $688 | |
| Actron Air MRC-050DS-25.5 kW heating5.3 kW cooling2,043 kWh/yr | 4 | $674 | |
| Hyundai HYSMHS52OTD5.2 kW heating5.2 kW cooling1,883 kWh/yr | 3.5 | $621 | |
| Hyundai HYSMHS52OTC5.2 kW heating5.2 kW cooling1,883 kWh/yr | 3.5 | $621 | |
| Bonaire H2M052S2AE5.2 kW heating5.2 kW cooling1,883 kWh/yr | 3.5 | $621 |
Other Panasonic models of similar capacity
| Model | Stars | Est. cost / yr | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panasonic CU-3Z54DBR7 kW heating5.4 kW cooling2,457 kWh/yr | 4.5 | $811 |
Compare CU-3Z54VBR with another model
Panasonic CU-3Z54VBR specifications
- Type
- Reverse cycle
- Configuration
- Fixed
- Air distribution
- Non-ducted
- Indoor unit
- –
- Rated cooling capacity (35 °C)
- 5.40 kW
- Cooling power input
- 1.12 kW
- Rated heating capacity (7 °C)
- 7.00 kW
- Heating power input
- 1.54 kW
- EER, full load (tested)
- 4.69
- COP, full load (tested)
- 4.47
- Rated AEER
- 4.75
- Rated ACOP
- 4.50
- Standby power (PIA)
- 4.7 W
- Compressor
- Variable speed, Inverter
- Refrigerant
- R32
- Power supply
- Single phase
- Indoor sound power
- –
- Outdoor sound power
- 62 dB(A)
- Demand response (AS/NZS 4755)
- Yes
- Country of manufacture
- Malaysia
Dimensions are not collected for registrations under the 2019 Determination, so they are shown only where the source has them.
Panasonic CU-3Z54VBR zoned energy rating figures
As published for each climate zone. Residential figures drive the star ratings; commercial figures assume a commercial usage pattern.
| Zone | Profile | Cooling stars | Heating stars | Cooling kWh | Heating kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coldcommercial | commercial | – | – | 570 | 721 |
| Coldresidential | residential | 4.0 | 2.5 | 260 | 2,264 |
| Mixedcommercial | commercial | – | – | 712 | 373 |
| Mixedresidential | residential | 4.0 | 3.0 | 401 | 825 |
| Hotcommercial | commercial | – | – | 1,563 | 81 |
| Hotresidential | residential | 4.5 | 3.5 | 1,160 | 125 |
Part-load test points (22 values)
- h__h1_min_cap_power_rated
- 320 W
- h__h2_ext_cap_power_rated
- 2110 W
- c__t1_half_cap_power_rated
- 460 W
- c__t1_have_min_cap_results
- No
- h__h1_half_cap_power_rated
- 630 W
- h__h1_have_min_cap_results
- Yes
- h__h3_have_ext_cap_results
- No
- h__h2_have_full_cap_results
- No
- h__h2_have_half_cap_results
- No
- h__h3_have_full_cap_results
- No
- h__h3_have_half_cap_results
- No
- h__h1_min_cap_heat_cap_rated
- 1600 W
- h__h2_ext_cap_heat_cap_rated
- 6300 W
- h__h1_half_cap_heat_cap_rated
- 3500 W
- h__h2_is_capable_extended_load
- Yes
- c__low_temp_full_cap_power_rated
- 1023.6800000000001 W
- c__low_temp_half_cap_power_rated
- 420.44 W
- c__low_temp_have_min_cap_results
- No
- c__t1_half_cap_cooling_cap_rated
- 2700 W
- c__low_temp_have_half_cap_results
- No
- c__low_temp_full_cap_cooling_cap_rated
- 5815.8 W
- c__low_temp_half_cap_cooling_cap_rated
- 2907.9 W
New Zealand E3 registration details
- Registration number
- AAC8023
- GEMS registration id
- 154590
- Status
- approved, available (self-reported)
- Registration expires
- 27 January 2029
- Registered for sale in
- Australia, New Zealand
- Family
- –
- Regulatory standard
- [SEER Multi-Split <=65kW] GEMS (Air Conditioners up to 65kW) Determination 2019
- Test standard
- AS/NZS 3823.1.4:2012
- MEPS
- 2019
- Product class
- Class 19
Source: E3 programme registration data (EECA, New Zealand) (trans-Tasman E3 registration data published by DCCEEW on data.gov.au, CC BY 3.0 AU). Dataset published 25 September 2026; last checked 26 September 2026. Manufacturer: papamy.panasonic.com.my. How the derived figures are calculated.