Tesla has discontinued its Solar Roof product, the solar panel system designed to resemble standard roofing tiles, according to a report from Electrek. The company has informed its third-party installer network that Solar Roof is no longer available to order, and only conventional solar panels will be supplied moving forward. Sources close to the program shared this information with the publication, though Tesla has not made an official announcement about the change.
Several changes to Tesla鈥檚 website support the reported discontinuation. The dedicated Solar Roof page, which launched nearly a decade ago, now redirects visitors to Tesla鈥檚 standard solar panel page. Additionally, the Solar Roof option has been removed from the navigation menu for Tesla Energy products, leaving only Solar Panels, Powerwall, and Megapack listed as available offerings.
Tesla first unveiled the Solar Roof project in 2016, but mass production did not begin until March 2020. The product never became a successful venture for the company. In 2021, Tesla CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that the company made significant mistakes with Solar Roof, leading to cost overruns and delays. A 2023 report from Wood Mackenzie estimated that the solar shingles had been installed on only 3,000 U.S. homes since launch, far below Tesla鈥檚 target of 1,000 installations per week.
The decision to end Solar Roof stems from a conclusion that the product is not financially viable for Tesla, according to Electrek鈥檚 sources. The company鈥檚 standard solar panels, by contrast, are reportedly performing better. Tesla is currently planning to build a new factory near Houston, Texas, with an investment of $10 billion, to increase production of its conventional solar panel offerings.
For U.S. consumers who ordered Solar Roof or were considering it, the removal of the product from Tesla鈥檚 lineup means they will need to look at standard panels or other options. The product鈥檚 slow adoption and high costs had long been a point of concern. Tesla has not publicly commented on the reported end of Solar Roof, leaving the confirmation to installer communications and website updates.
More technology news from TechManNews.
