New Zealand · costs in NZD
Reverse cycle multi-split / vrf air conditioner
Panasonic U-18ME2R8 Heat Pump
Panasonic U-18ME2R8 is a 50 kW reverse cycle ducted multi-split / vrf heat pump registered for sale in New Zealand under the trans-Tasman E3 energy rating scheme (registration AAC9308).
- Energy rating (cooling)
- 3.5
- Heating: 1.5
- Annual electricity use
- 26,274 kWh
- 2,398 cooling + 23,876 heating
- Estimated running cost
- $8,670 / year
- $723 / month · $86,704 over 10 years
- Capacity
- 50 kW cooling
- 56 kW heating
8% more electricity than the median of 10 comparable 50 kW reverse cycle ducted multi-split / vrf registrations (24,311 kWh a year) in the cold zone. Uses less than 40% of them.
Across all 3,611 air conditioner registrations sold in Australia, it uses less than 5% (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 U-18ME2R8 running cost by climate zone
| Climate zone | kWh / year | Per year | 10 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold zone | 26,274 | $8,670 | $86,704 |
| Mixed zone | 11,792 | $3,891 | $38,914 |
| Hot zone | 12,109 | $3,996 | $39,960 |
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 50 kW, at least 3% lower annual kWh in the cold zone.
| Model | Stars | Est. cost / yr | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haier AV18IMAURA56.5 kW heating50 kW cooling3,682 kWh/yr | 2 | $1,215 | |
| Gree GMV-450WM/C-X(A)45 kW heating45 kW cooling20,722 kWh/yr | 2.5 | $6,838 | |
| Braemar MCHX450D326B45 kW heating45 kW cooling20,722 kWh/yr | 2.5 | $6,838 | |
| Gree GMV-VQ450WM/C-X(A)45 kW heating45 kW cooling22,348 kWh/yr | 2 | $7,375 | |
| Braemar MCRX450D326B45 kW heating45 kW cooling22,348 kWh/yr | 2 | $7,375 |
Heat pumps similar to the Panasonic U-18ME2R8
Technically comparable registrations: same configuration and type, capacity within 12%.
| Model | Stars | Est. cost / yr | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haier AV18IMAURA56.5 kW heating50 kW cooling3,682 kWh/yr | 2 | $1,215 | |
| Gree GMV-VQ450WM/C-X(A)45 kW heating45 kW cooling22,348 kWh/yr | 2 | $7,375 | |
| Haier AV16IMAURA50 kW heating45 kW cooling26,645 kWh/yr | 1.5 | $8,793 | |
| Braemar MCRX450D326B45 kW heating45 kW cooling22,348 kWh/yr | 2 | $7,375 | |
| Gree GMV-450WM/C-X(A)45 kW heating45 kW cooling20,722 kWh/yr | 2.5 | $6,838 | |
| Braemar MCHX450D326B45 kW heating45 kW cooling20,722 kWh/yr | 2.5 | $6,838 |
Other Panasonic models of similar capacity
| Model | Stars | Est. cost / yr | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panasonic U-16ME2R850 kW heating45 kW cooling28,547 kWh/yr | 3 | $9,421 | |
| Panasonic U-16ME2R8E50 kW heating45 kW cooling28,547 kWh/yr | 3 | $9,421 |
Compare U-18ME2R8 with another model
Panasonic U-18ME2R8 specifications
- Type
- Reverse cycle
- Configuration
- Multi-split / VRF
- Air distribution
- Ducted
- Indoor unit
- –
- Rated cooling capacity (35 °C)
- 50.00 kW
- Cooling power input
- 15.40 kW
- Rated heating capacity (7 °C)
- 56.00 kW
- Heating power input
- 12.60 kW
- EER, full load (tested)
- 3.18
- COP, full load (tested)
- 4.33
- Rated AEER
- 3.19
- Rated ACOP
- 4.35
- Standby power (PIA)
- 83.0 W
- Compressor
- Variable speed, Inverter
- Refrigerant
- R410A
- Power supply
- Three phase
- Indoor sound power
- –
- Outdoor sound power
- –
- Demand response (AS/NZS 4755)
- Yes (mode 1 on off, mode 2 50 percent, mode 3 75 percent)
- 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 U-18ME2R8 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 | – | – | 2,592 | 6,780 |
| Coldresidential | residential | 3.5 | 1.5 | 2,398 | 23,876 |
| Mixedcommercial | commercial | – | – | 4,706 | 3,245 |
| Mixedresidential | residential | 3.5 | 2.0 | 3,844 | 7,948 |
| Hotcommercial | commercial | – | – | 13,444 | 637 |
| Hotresidential | residential | 4.0 | 4.0 | 11,118 | 991 |
Part-load test points (21 values)
- c__t1_min_cap_power_rated
- 890 W
- h__h1_min_cap_power_rated
- 730 W
- h__h2_ext_cap_power_rated
- 14560 W
- c__t1_half_cap_power_rated
- 3890 W
- c__t1_have_min_cap_results
- Yes
- h__h1_half_cap_power_rated
- 4810 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
- 4700 W
- h__h2_ext_cap_heat_cap_rated
- 36500 W
- h__h1_half_cap_heat_cap_rated
- 28000 W
- h__h2_is_capable_extended_load
- Yes
- c__low_temp_min_cap_power_rated
- 590 W
- c__t1_min_cap_cooling_cap_rated
- 6600 W
- c__t1_half_cap_cooling_cap_rated
- 25000 W
- c__low_temp_have_half_cap_results
- No
- c__low_temp_min_cap_cooling_cap_rated
- 6700 W
Other model numbers on registration AAC9308
Registered together and sharing the same test results. Usually variants of the same unit.
New Zealand E3 registration details
- Registration number
- AAC9308
- GEMS registration id
- 170605
- Status
- approved, available (self-reported)
- Registration expires
- 22 September 2030
- Registered for sale in
- Australia, New Zealand
- Family
- U-18ME2R8
- 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 21
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 19 September 2026; last checked 20 September 2026. How the derived figures are calculated.