Tesla’s solar roof is dead. Here’s what went wrong
Tesla has discontinued its solar roof product, nearly a decade after its introduction, removing all public mentions from its website. The product, which aimed to combine solar power with high-end roofing, struggled with high costs and low installation rates, failing to meet Tesla's ambitious goals.
Why it matters
This marks a significant failure for Tesla's renewable energy diversification efforts, demonstrating the challenges of scaling innovative but expensive luxury products in a competitive market. It also impacts consumers who invested in or considered the product, and highlights broader difficulties in the solar energy sector for non-standardized solutions.
Nearly a decade ago, Tesla introduced its solar roof , which was essentially a mini-power plant that happened to look like high-end shingles, fancy terracotta tiles or refined slate slabs.
Now, the solar roof is dead. Tesla has scrubbed public-facing mentions of the product from its website. TechCrunch has confirmed that the solar roof URL now redirects to its generic solar landing page on Tesla’s website, and all of the support pages redirect, too. Electrek was first to report on the product’s disappearance.
But like other Tesla initiatives, the concept might have a life beyond the company. Two solar installers told TechCrunch their company was still offering the solar roof, though one said availability would depend on the timeline of the project. That suggests Tesla is working to offload existing inventory.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in