tech
Tesla's solar roof is dead — here’s what went wrong
Tesla's solar roof was an experiment that never really caught on for the company. But does that mean the concept of roof-integrated solar is dead?
TL;DR
- Tesla has removed its solar roof product from its public-facing website.
- The solar roof was positioned as a luxury product and became increasingly expensive over time.
- Manufacturing challenges, including the need for custom equipment and lower-than-expected production rates, contributed to its failure.
- Physics-related issues, such as heat warping non-solar parts and melting underlayment, alongside underproduction of electricity, plagued the product.
- Despite Tesla's exit, other companies like GAF and Merlin Solar are still active in the integrated solar roof market.
- The failure of Tesla's solar roof may cast doubt on the viability of the entire concept for some.