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Global Tier-1

TOPHiKu6 48TM

440–470 W · 48-cell · N-type TOPCon · All-black · Mono-glass

Canadian SolarReleased 2025

68/ 100

Very good

Global

The verdict. In our Global Tier-1 class, Canadian Solar TOPHiKu6 48TM leads on durability (verified).

16thof 66 in Global Tier-1Top quarterclass average 63.1
Compare this panel →Ask Watt →

The assessment

How it scores, by category

Architecture & Design66
Efficiency & Yield64
Durability (verified)81
Performance & Degradation73
Guarantee & Backbone58
Sustainability46

Market position

16thof 66 in Global Tier-1Top quarter
456874

Our reading

TOPHiKu6 48TM scores 68, placing 16 of 66 in the Global Tier-1 class against a class average of 63.1. Its strongest scoring dimension is durability (verified) (81), running 26.2 points above the class average on this dimension. Sustainability scores 46, the lowest pillar for this product. The class average on sustainability is 60. Underlying specifications include a module efficiency of 23.5%, N-type TOPCon cell technology, 25-year product warranty backed by a 30-year performance term.

Dietreich Farquharson · review.solar

The data

Power
470W
Efficiency
23.5%
Cell
N-type TOPCon
Temp coeff
-0.29%/°C
Technology architecture

N-type TOPCon module

Architecture guide

Produces DC electricity at the roof. It contains no system-level power conversion or storage.

Product role
None in the module.
Published range
440–470 W
Electrical layer
DC module output
Construction
Mono-glass, All-black
Architecture describes the product boundary. It is not a system design or an equipment-pairing decision.

Performance guarantee: 30-year linear output

470 Wrated411W at yr 30
80859095100Guaranteed floor 87.4%Product 25yr87.4%0yr5yr10yr15yr20yr25yr30yr
Projected outputGuaranteed floor: 87.4% at yr 30Product warranty ends yr 25

Wattage figure based on the sourced rated power (470 W) applied to the guaranteed floor; modular/format differences aside, this is the same rated-power spec shown above.

Modelled effective output, year by year

421W381W

Year 1 to year 25, at 30°C and 1000 W/m². Rated 470 W at STC.

How this is modelled

Compounds this panel’s own published first-year (1%) and annual (0.4%/yr) degradation figures against its 470 W rated (STC) output, then derates for the ambient and irradiance selected. Output is scaled roughly linearly with irradiance (1000 W/m² against the 1000 W/m² STC reference). This is the dominant real-world effect at low light, whether from cloud, shading or soiling. Output is then further derated for heat, from this panel’s own NOCT (42°C) and temperature coefficient (-0.29%/°C), giving an estimated cell temperature of 58°C at that ambient and irradiance. A datasheet-derived estimate, not a field measurement or a warranty guarantee: it does not account for this panel’s own low-light efficiency response (a separate, less-consistently-published spec), or for wind and system design. See NOCT and temperature coefficient in the glossary.

Control panel

30°C
1000 W/m²
Year1510152025
Watts421 W415 W406 W398 W389 W381 W
% of rated89.7%88.2%86.4%84.6%82.8%81.0%
Before you buy
Local positionUse a market view to check local availability, approvals and warranty scope.
Ask the installerWill the quote name the exact TOPHiKu6 48TM model and wattage, and who covers labour if the module warranty is used?

Verification & sources

Market context

Global evidencechange in the site menu

Global benchmark. This scorecard is benchmarked globally. A global score does not imply local availability, certification, warranty coverage, or installer compatibility.

Benchmark anchor. The score is anchored to the highest published rating in this exact published US series. Scored model: CS6.2-48TM-470H · checked 2026-08-23. Evidence.

Sources & references · checked 2026-09-01

Strong evidence coverage

20 of 20 scored criteria link directly to a published source.

Values marked estimated, derived, or not found remain visible on the audit sheet and do not carry the same evidential weight as a linked source. Coverage measures direct links, not an independent guarantee that a claim is correct.

Record revision. TOPHiKu6 All-Black exact NA sheet, warranty v1.6 and current PVEL exact-family rows rechecked 2026-08-23. First-market DE overlay review 2026-09-01: official German catalogues recorded; existing Australian and United States overlays and scores unchanged.

Change ledger

Product record history

5 changes to this record · 152 products changed in this update
  1. Record updated

    Source revision

    Before
    TOPHiKu6 All-Black exact NA sheet, warranty v1.6 and current PVEL exact-family rows rechecked 2026-08-23.
    After
    TOPHiKu6 All-Black exact NA sheet, warranty v1.6 and current PVEL exact-family rows rechecked 2026-08-23. First-market DE overlay review 2026-09-01: official German catalogues recorded; existing Australian and United States overlays and scores unchanged.
    Primary datasheet
  2. Evidence added

    DE Certifications

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    DE market evidenceDE market evidence+1 in JSON record
  3. Evidence added

    DE Evidence sources

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/; https://www.canadiansolar.com/de/; https://www.canadiansolar.com/eu/
    DE market evidenceDE market evidence+1 in JSON record
  4. Evidence added

    DE Status

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    unavailable
    DE market evidenceDE market evidence+1 in JSON record
  5. Evidence added

    DE Support Note

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    canadiansolar.com/de and /eu open the global homepage, not a German catalogue, and do not name CS6.2-48TM-470H. A North American TOPHiKu6 All-Black sheet is not transferred onto a German listing.
    DE market evidenceDE market evidence+1 in JSON record
2 changes to this record · 109 products changed in this update
  1. Record updated

    Global score

    Before
    68.8
    After
    68.3
    Primary datasheet
  2. Record updated

    Efficiency & Yield pillar score

    Before
    66.7
    After
    64.4
    Primary datasheet
5 changes to this record · 118 products changed in this update
  1. Evidence added

    Independent energy yield: Evidence sources

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    https://scorecard.pvel.com/methodology/; https://scorecard.pvel.com/top-performers/
    Independent energy yieldIndependent energy yield
  2. Record updated

    Efficiency & Yield pillar score

    Before
    71.6
    After
    66.7
    Primary datasheet
  3. Evidence added

    Independent energy yield: Evidence status

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    sourced
    Independent energy yieldIndependent energy yield
  4. Evidence added

    Independent energy yield

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    Brand or series yield-tested; exact model not covered
    Independent energy yieldIndependent energy yield
  5. Record updated

    Global score

    Before
    69.7
    After
    68.8
    Primary datasheet
17 changes to this record · 7 products changed in this update
  1. Record updated

    PID (IEC TS 62804): Evidence sources

    Before
    https://scorecard.pvel.com/top-performers/
    After
    https://scorecard.pvel.com/top-performers/; https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf
    Primary datasheetIndependent energy yield
  2. Record updated

    Power tolerance (%): Evidence sources

    Before
    After
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf
    Primary datasheet
  3. Record updated

    US Warranty scope

    Current text
    North America; 25-year limited product warranty and 30-year linear performance warranty. The governing v1.6 terms include conditional repair labour and accepted-claim transport, while removal and reinstallation remain buyer costs.

    The previous text is not reproduced here: both versions run to a full research paragraph. Both are in the JSON record linked below.

    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%)Primary datasheet
  4. Record updated

    Guarantee & Backbone pillar score

    Before
    49.6
    After
    58
    Primary datasheet
  5. Record updated

    Guarantee period (yrs): Evidence sources

    Before
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf
    After
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf; https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/PV_TopHiKu_Module_Warranty_en-v1.6.pdf
    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%)Primary datasheet
  6. Record updated

    Performance guarantee period (yrs): Evidence sources

    Before
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf
    After
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf; https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/PV_TopHiKu_Module_Warranty_en-v1.6.pdf
    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%)Primary datasheet
  7. Record updated

    Global score

    Before
    68.6
    After
    69.7
    Primary datasheet
  8. Record updated

    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%): Evidence sources

    Before
    After
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf; https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/PV_TopHiKu_Module_Warranty_en-v1.6.pdf
    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%)Primary datasheet
  9. Record updated

    Guarantee assurance: Evidence sources

    Before
    After
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf; https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/PV_TopHiKu_Module_Warranty_en-v1.6.pdf
    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%)Primary datasheet
  10. Record updated

    Warranty transferability: Evidence sources

    Before
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf
    After
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf; https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/PV_TopHiKu_Module_Warranty_en-v1.6.pdf
    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%)Primary datasheet
  11. Record updated

    Ranges

    Current text
    checked: 2026-08-23; market: US; max: 470; min: 440; range label: 440–470 W; source revision: TOPHiKu6 All-Black CS6.2-48TM-H v1.0C25 exact NA sheet rechecked 2026-08-23; source url: https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf; unit: W

    The previous text is not reproduced here: both versions run to a full research paragraph. Both are in the JSON record linked below.

    Primary datasheet
  12. Record updated

    Guarantee assurance

    Before
    Parts only
    After
    Parts & Service
    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%)Primary datasheet
  13. Record updated

    Source

    Current text
    checked: 2026-08-23; source revision: TOPHiKu6 All-Black CS6.2-48TM-H v1.0C25 exact NA sheet rechecked 2026-08-23; source url: https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf

    The previous text is not reproduced here: both versions run to a full research paragraph. Both are in the JSON record linked below.

    Primary datasheet
  14. Record updated

    Warranty transferability

    Before
    Not transferable / not disclosed
    After
    Fully transferable (new owner, no registration required)
    Guaranteed end-of-warranty output (%)Primary datasheet
  15. Record updated

    Hail resistance: Evidence sources

    Before
    https://scorecard.pvel.com/top-performers/
    After
    https://scorecard.pvel.com/top-performers/; https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf
    Primary datasheetIndependent energy yield
  16. Record updated

    LeTID resistance (IEC TS 63342): Evidence sources

    Before
    After
    https://www.canadiansolar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/01/CS-Datasheet-TOPHiKu6_All-Black_CS6.2-48TM-H_v1.0C25_F23_D1_NA-1.pdf
    Primary datasheet
  17. Record updated

    Source revision

    Before
    LeTID re-verified 2026-08-19 for rubric v2.12.0: scored under the returned criterion on the evidence recorded in its provenance.
    After
    TOPHiKu6 All-Black exact NA sheet, warranty v1.6 and current PVEL exact-family rows rechecked 2026-08-23.
    Primary datasheet
6 changes to this record · 23 products changed in this update
  1. Evidence added

    LeTID resistance (IEC TS 63342): Evidence status

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    sourced
    No direct source binding recorded
  2. Evidence added

    LeTID resistance (IEC TS 63342)

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    LeTID resistance claimed for this product, no test cited
    No direct source binding recorded
  3. Record updated

    Durability (verified) pillar score

    Before
    84.1
    After
    81.1
    Primary datasheet
  4. Record updated

    Global score

    Before
    69.3
    After
    68.6
    Primary datasheet
  5. Evidence added

    LeTID resistance (IEC TS 63342): Evidence sources

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    No direct source binding recorded
  6. Evidence added

    Source revision

    Before
    Not previously recorded
    After
    LeTID re-verified 2026-08-19 for rubric v2.12.0: scored under the returned criterion on the evidence recorded in its provenance.
    Primary datasheet
6 changes to this record · 106 products changed in this update
  1. Record updated

    Durability (verified) pillar score

    Before
    83.2
    After
    84.1
    Primary datasheet
  2. Record updated

    Global score

    Before
    68.8
    After
    69.3
    Primary datasheet
  3. Evidence removed

    Damp heat extended (2000h): Evidence status

    Before
    sourced
    After
    No longer recorded
    No direct source binding recorded
  4. Record updated

    Architecture & Design pillar score

    Before
    64.5
    After
    66.3
    Primary datasheet
  5. Evidence removed

    Damp heat extended (2000h)

    Before
    1000h IEC 61215 standard
    After
    No longer recorded
    No direct source binding recorded
  6. Evidence removed

    Damp heat extended (2000h): Evidence sources

    Before
    After
    No longer recorded
    No direct source binding recorded

This is review.solar's publication history. It does not claim the product changed on the recorded date, and it excludes compatibility, system pairing, installation suitability and relative leaderboard prose. Open the complete JSON record.

Evidence timeline

Recorded verification events for this scorecard. These are evidence checks, not historical score snapshots.

  1. Core scorecard evidence checked
  2. DE market evidence checked
  3. AU market evidence checked
  4. US market evidence checked
  5. Series benchmark evidence checked

Evidence record (JSON)

Scored by Solar Analytica Research

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