First Tesla Solar Roofs Have Been Installed

Tesla

Tesla

In March of this year, Elon Musk announced that Tesla would begin taking orders on their Solar Roof Shingle concept.  Tesla Solar Roof is a solar power roof system that eliminates the need for bulky solar panels installed over top of traditional roof materials.  Instead, the shingles themselves, which come in a variety of different styles, are the solar panels.

At the company’s second quarter earnings report, Tesla announced that the first solar roof installations have been completed.  Those customers who have submitted a pre-order will have to keep waiting though, as the first installs were all on Tesla executive’s homes.  A picture of one of the installs is below:

For such a new technology, it’s promising that Tesla is testing it on their employee’s houses first, so they have first hand knowledge of any problems or opportunities the technology has.  According to Bloomberg, the solar tiles are currently being manufactured in Fremont, California, but will move to Buffalo, NY later this year.

Many outlets, including Tesla themselves, have stated that the solar roof shingles will cost less than a traditional roof.  In a sense, that’s accurate, as they come with a lifetime warranty and will generate power, but the up-front cost is substantially more than a traditional roof.  To see how much a solar roof would cost on your home, Tesla released an incredibly easy estimation tool on their website, which you can find by clicking here.

Full Story: Tesla Finishes First Solar Roofs—Including Elon’s House | Bloomberg

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