Tesla Discontinues Solar Roof Tiles

Tesla has officially pulled the plug on its Solar Roof, the innovative solar panels designed to mimic traditional roofing tiles. Sources familiar with the situation have indicated that Tesla has notified its network of third-party installers that Solar Roof is no longer available for orders, shifting focus solely to conventional solar panels.

While there hasn’t been a formal announcement regarding the end of the Solar Roof, changes on Tesla’s website support this development. The dedicated Solar Roof page has been redirected to the main solar panel page, and the option for Solar Roof has vanished from the Tesla Energy product menu. The current offerings now include only Solar Panels, Powerwall, and Megapack.

The Solar Roof project was unveiled back in 2016, but it didn’t hit mass production until March 2020. Unfortunately, it never gained the traction Tesla hoped for. CEO Elon Musk acknowledged in 2021 that the company made “significant mistakes” with the Solar Roof, leading to overspending and delays. A report from Wood Mackenzie in 2023 revealed that only about 3,000 Solar Roof installations had occurred in the U.S. since its launch, a far cry from Tesla’s ambitious goal of 1,000 installations per week.

Reports suggest that Tesla has determined the Solar Roof is not a financially sustainable venture. In contrast, the company is experiencing more success with its standard solar panels and is planning to invest in a new $10 billion factory near Houston, Texas, to boost production.