💡Tesla Ditches Solar Roof After Decade
Solar roof? More like solar flop.
TL;DR
Tesla has removed public mentions of its solar roof from the website. Despite high hopes and a $200k price tag, only 20-40 units were installed weekly in 2022. Other companies like GAF are still pursuing integrated roofs.
Tesla has quietly dropped its solar roof product from public view on its website, redirecting users to generic solar panel pages instead. The high-end shingles aimed for 1,000 installations per week but only reached 20-40 weekly by 2022, despite a $200k price tag. This move signals Tesla's shift towards traditional panels as the market has evolved and mass production lowered costs. Other companies like GAF are still pursuing integrated solar roofs, suggesting the concept isn't dead yet.
Key Points
Tesla introduced its solar roof product nearly a decade ago as a luxury item disguised as high-end shingles or tiles.
The product URL now redirects to Tesla's generic solar landing page and support pages redirect too, suggesting offloading of existing inventory.
Two installers told TechCrunch that they're still offering the solar roof with availability dependent on project timeline, indicating some demand remains.
Regular solar panels dropped in price due to mass production and standardization, while Tesla's unique tiles meant designing and buying custom manufacturing equipment.
Heat was a problem for the solar roof, causing non-solar parts to warp and underlayment to melt, reducing voltage efficiency.
Why It Matters
If you're considering an integrated solar roof for your home, Tesla's decision highlights the challenges of high-end tech in this market. The product's lofty goals and price tag ($200k) made it unviable at scale. However, other companies like GAF are still pursuing similar concepts, suggesting there may be a niche market for luxury integrated solar solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does this matter?
If you're considering an integrated solar roof for your home, Tesla's decision highlights the challenges of high-end tech in this market. The product's lofty goals and price tag ($200k) made it unviable at scale. However, other companies like GAF are still pursuing similar concepts, suggesting there may be a niche market for luxury integrated solar solutions.
What happened?
Tesla has removed public mentions of its solar roof from the website. Despite high hopes and a $200k price tag, only 20-40 units were installed weekly in 2022. Other companies like GAF are still pursuing integrated roofs.
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