Tesla has officially launched its third version of its solar roof tile, made specifically for residential use. CEO Elon Musk said in a media conference that the company will begin installations in the next few weeks, with some installations already kicking off. It hopes to increase production up to 1,000 new roofs every week.
What are Tesla’s solar roof tiles?
Designed to looks just like your normal roof tiles when installing on your house, Telsa’s versions double as solar panels to create power. While they’re still a work-in-progress, the company is busy testing the product, despite having announced it approximately three years ago. The company has completed trial installations on two of its version so far.
Musk said the first two versions were testing grounds, where the company was still trying to figure things out. He added: “Version three is finally ready for the big time.”
How much will Tesla’s solar roof cost?
The official website now has a pricing estimator handy for those wanting to approximate costs. It lists $42,500 as the total cost for a 2,000 square-foot property, with 10kW panels installed – the average size for residential homes.
Musk said the roof will not make financial sense for those who have a relatively new roof, because this solution acts as a roof itself and has power generation included. He further added that Tesla has aimed for a price point for version three where it is “less than the average roof costs, plus the solar panels”.
How will they be installed?
Making things interesting, Musk explained that the company will put up two teams against each other to see who can install the roof faster. Notably, he added that there is still a bit of R&D to be completed around the actual installation process.
Tesla will hire and train specialised installers in the field, with plans to expand installations to third-party contractors. Their main priority will be to test until they can get the installation time down to where it is faster than installing a traditional roof plus panels on top.
The company also plans to roll out additional variants as fast as possible, with designs that have tiles looking like clay and other alternatives.
