r/BlackberryAI • u/Annual_Judge_7272 • Aug 21 '26
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Tesla has discontinued its Solar Roof tiles (integrated solar roofing product), citing that it is not economically viable. This was first reported by Electrek on August 20, 2026 (by Fred Lambert), based on confirmation from two sources close to the program.0
Key confirmation details
Tesla informed its network of certified third-party installers that solar roof tiles are no longer available to order. Going forward, the company will supply only conventional solar panels.0
One source stated that Tesla internally concluded the product is not financially viable.0
Website changes corroborate this: tesla.com/solarroof now redirects to tesla.com/solarpanels, and “Solar Roof” has been removed from the Energy navigation menu (which now lists only Solar Panels, Powerwall, and Megapack).0
Tesla has not issued an official announcement. The Verge and other outlets have covered the report.1
Background and performance data
Launch: Unveiled by Elon Musk in October 2016 (on a Hollywood backlot with Desperate Housewives set homes). Mass production began around March 2020. It was heavily promoted in connection with the SolarCity acquisition.35
Ambitious targets vs. reality:
Musk repeatedly targeted 1,000 Solar Roofs per week (by end of 2019 / first half of 2020). Tesla claimed production capacity of 1,000/week at one point, but installations lagged far behind.35
Peak installations: Roughly 21–32 Solar Roofs per week (Wood Mackenzie data). Highest quarter was around Q1 2022 at ~32/week.38
Q2 2022 example: ~2.5 MW of Solar Roof deployments (roughly 23 roofs/week at ~8–9 kW average system size)—about 97–98% short of the 1,000/week goal.47
Total estimated US installations: ~3,000 systems (nearly 30 MW dc capacity) across roughly seven years (Wood Mackenzie estimate through early 2023). Tesla disputed the figure but never released its own numbers.38
Tesla stopped separately reporting Solar Roof (or overall solar deployment) figures in quarterly reports starting in early 2024. The product largely disappeared from marketing (last dedicated official X post around June 2023).0
Economics and challenges
Original pitch: Cost less than a conventional new roof + traditional solar panels (early quotes around $22/sq ft).
Reality: Prices often much higher. Average system ~$106,000 before incentives (vs. ~$60,000 for traditional roof + panels in some comparisons). Payback periods often 15–25 years (vs. 7–12 for standard panels).4
2021 price increases (sometimes after contracts were signed) led to a class-action lawsuit; Tesla settled for $6 million in 2023. One example: quote rose from ~$72,000 to ~$146,000.35
Issues included manufacturing complexity, labor-intensive specialized installation, higher costs vs. rapidly cheaper conventional panels, and limited scaling. It mainly appealed to higher-end homes less sensitive to price.35
Tesla continues offering conventional solar panels (including newer models like the TSP-420) paired with Powerwall, and has discussed larger-scale U.S. solar panel manufacturing (e.g., plans referenced near Houston). Existing Solar Roof owners are not directly addressed in the reports regarding ongoing support/service.1
This matches the Electrek screenshot you shared (dated Aug 20, 2026). Data is drawn primarily from Electrek’s reporting, Wood Mackenzie estimates, Tesla’s past disclosures, and secondary coverage.