The same month, Reuters reported that Tesla was struggling to manufacture roof tiles at its solar panel factory in Buffalo, New York. But the company then quickly walked that statement back, clarifying that Musk was including people who were scheduled for roof installations but hadn't gotten them yet. In August 2018, Musk told investors that Tesla had "several hundred solar roofs" installed. Tesla started accepting preorders for solar roof in May 2017. But in 2016, weeks before the SolarCity deal was due to close, Tesla announced the solar roof project, which features roofing tiles that double as solar panels. Prior to the merger, SolarCity installed conventional solar panels that sit above a customer's roof (Tesla continues to install conventional solar panels today). Tesla's solar roof dates back to 2016, the year Tesla bought SolarCity, a solar panel installation company founded by two of Tesla CEO Elon Musk's cousins. The cost calculated by Tesla's website is only an initial estimate. There's also no guarantee that Tesla won't change its estimate once it sends someone to actually look at your house. In contrast, Tesla's calculator indicates that it takes more than 1,400 square feet of roof to fit 8.5 kW worth of solar roof tiles. I installed 8.5 kW worth of conventional solar panels on my roof, which is around 1,000 square feet. Tesla's solar roof apparently can't achieve the same energy density as conventional solar panels. Of course, solar panel prices have continued to drop in the last 18 months, so conventional solar panels would likely cost less if I ordered them today. That compares favorably to the $47,538 I paid for solar panels and a new roof 18 months ago. Today, Tesla estimates that a 8.5 kW system would cost $36,783 for a "simple" roof. In 2019, I paid $35,538 for an 8.5 kW system, spending $12,000 for a new roof at the same time. If Tesla's online price calculator for solar roof is accurate, its new, higher prices are still fairly competitive with conventional solar panels-at least here in the District of Columbia. Tesla's online cost estimator now asks customers about their "roof complexity," which is "determined by the pitch, number of joints, chimneys, and other features on your roof." Tesla warns that "complex roofs take more time and material to install than simple roofs." Part of the price increase may reflect Tesla's realization that not all roofs are equally easy to cover with solar panels. He was told he now owed $75,000 for the solar roof-a 114 percent increase-and $35,000 for the batteries. Later, he received a “terse email” from Tesla stating that in several days he would receive a new contract with higher prices. One solar roof customer told The Verge he signed a contract in February to install the solar roof for $35,000, with an additional $30,000 for the batteries. "For example, they are asking for an additional $21,000 for my project from about $66,000 to $87,000."Īnother customer shared a similar story with The Verge: "Tesla has reneged on its solar roof contracts and has raised the prices for people (like me) who have already signed contract with them," one Ars reader told us. A 12.3 kW system that Electrek priced at $54,966 last summer now costs more than $70,000, according to Tesla's online calculator.Ĭustomers report that Tesla is not only raising prices for future solar roof installations-it's demanding more money from some existing customers whose panels haven't been installed yet. Tesla has jacked up the price of its solar roof, which integrates solar panels directly into roof tiles, Electrek reports.
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