Energy

How much will a Tesla Solar Roof cost on my home?

Published

8 years ago

May 10, 2017

Steve Hanley

Updated May 10, 2017: Tesla has provided an online calculator that attempts to compute the cost of a Tesla Solar Roof based on a home’s approximated square foot and number of stories. Single story homes are presumed to have double the roof surface area than a 2-story home with the same interior space. Here are some estimates on how much a Tesla Solar Roof will cost depending on the size of the home:

1.500 square feet (1 story) – $55,600
1,500 square feet (2 story) – $29,500
2.000 square feet (1 story) – $72,700
2,000 square feet (2 story) – $38,300
3,000 square feet (1 story) – $55,600
3,000 square feet (2 story) – $106,600
5,000 square feet (1 story) – $155,300
5,000 square feet (2 story) – $89,700

Solar Roof costs outlined are based on 60% solar coverage and does not take into account value of energy produced from the roof tiles themselves. The cost also does not factor in any local solar tax credits which varies by region.
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Originally published post below:

Tesla’s new Solar Roof tiles are the hot topic of conversation right now. At the official reveal event, Elon Musk asked rhetorically, “So, why would you buy anything else?” In a new analysis, Consumer Reports (CR) tries to answer that question.

In the absence of pricing information from Tesla, Consumer Reports decided to make some assumptions of its own. People may quibble with them, but they at least establish a baseline that can be used to begin the discussion.

CR reached out to some knowledgeable roofing sources such as the Slate Roofing Contractors Association, the Tile Roofing Institute, and the folks behind the Remodeling 2016 Cost vs. Value Report. Assuming a typical roof size in the US of 3,000 square feet, it determined the average cost of a clay tile roof is $16,000, an asphalt shingle roof is $20,000 and a slate roof is $45,000.

CR then assumed the average annual utility bill for that typical home is $2,000. Multiplying that by the 30 year life span Tesla says customers can expect from their Solar Roof, that comes out to $60,000. Consumer Reports then backed out the $6,500 assumed cost of installing a Tesla Powerwall 2 from the projected cost of electricity and declared that a Tesla glass tile roof would have to cost no more than $73,500 in order to compete successfully with a normal asphalt shingle roof.

Note that in these calculations, the customer is expected to pay for 30 years of electricity up front. CR makes no adjustment for what the costs of financing that amount immediately might amount to over that same 30 year period. The analysis also does not factor in the location of the home, the angle of the roof, or its orientation toward the sun. Clearly, a roof in southern California will generate more electricity over its useful life than a roof in the northeast.

The team at CR also assume the combination of a solar roof and a Powerwall system will supply all of a home’s energy needs without the need to draw (and pay for) additional power from the grid. Finally, no allowance is made for the monthly fees many utility companies assess to homeowners who have residential solar systems. The industry position is that rooftop solar places an undue burden on the utility grid and forces the bills of other customers to increase.

Elon said last Friday the Tesla Solar Roof tiles will “look better than a normal roof, generate electricity, last longer, have better insulation, and actually have an installed cost that is less than a normal roof plus the cost of electricity.”

He is absolutely right about the aesthetics.” People like the idea of being energy efficient, but solar panels can be an eyesore,” says Giovanni Bozzolo, a partner at Roof4Less roofing in Seattle, Wash. “To be able to combine the energy savings with aesthetics would be a very big thing in the industry. But the pricing has to be right.”

So, will the pricing be right? After Consumer Reports checked all its sources, made all its assumptions, and crunched all its numbers, it said in order to be competitive, a Tuscan tile roof needs to cost less than $69,500 ($2,300 per 100 square foot). A smooth or textured tile roof needs to cost less than $73,500 ($2,450 per 100 square feet). A slate tile roof needs to cost less than $98,500 ($3,300 per 100 square feet).

Two important factors we don’t know are the cost of installation for a Solar Roof or the skill level installers will need. “Roofers aren’t electricians and vice versa, so I’m most interested in seeing how the costs of labor affect the end price to consumers,” says Vikram Aggarwal, CEO of EnergySage, an online marketplace of solar installers.

Elon Musk is right about one thing. The Solar Roof products we saw at Universal Studios last week are drop dead gorgeous. Any home owner would love to have one. The question is, will they be a luxury item, like a Tesla Model S, or affordable to a broad range of homeowners, like a Model 3? The answer is, no one knows. Asked for comment, a Tesla spokesperson told Consumer Reports, “We haven’t released details on pricing.”

Related Topics:Solar Roof SolarCity Tesla Energy

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Steve Hanley

"I write about technology and the coming zero emissions revolution."

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Energy

Tesla launches first Virtual Power Plant in UK – get paid to use solar

Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom.

Published

7 days ago

July 17, 2025

Joey Klender

Credit: Tesla Energy | X

Tesla has launched its first-ever Virtual Power Plant program in the United Kingdom. This feature enables users of solar panels and energy storage systems to sell their excess energy back to the grid.

Tesla is utilizing Octopus Energy, a British renewable energy company that operates in multiple markets, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United States, as the provider for the VPP launch in the region.

The company states that those who enroll in the program can earn up to £300 per month.

Tesla has operated several VPP programs worldwide, most notably in California, Texas, Connecticut, and the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. This is not the first time Tesla has operated a VPP outside the United States, as there are programs in Australia, Japan, and New Zealand.

This is its first in the UK:

Our first VPP in the UK
You can get paid to share your energy – store excess energy in your Powerwall & sell it back to the grid
You’re making £££ and the community is powered by clean energy
Win-win pic.twitter.com/evhMtJpgy1
— Tesla UK (@tesla_uk) July 17, 2025

Tesla is not the only company that is working with Octopus Energy in the UK for the VPP, as it joins SolarEdge, GivEnergy, and Enphase as other companies that utilize the Octopus platform for their project operations.

It has been six years since Tesla launched its first VPP, as it started its first in Australia back in 2019. In 2024, Tesla paid out over $10 million to those participating in the program.

Tesla VPP program in California hits new capacity milestone

Participating in the VPP program that Tesla offers not only provides enrolled individuals with the opportunity to earn money, but it also contributes to grid stabilization by supporting local energy grids.

Energy

Tesla Lathrop Megafactory celebrates massive Megapack battery milestone

The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments.

Published

1 month ago

June 11, 2025

Simon Alvarez

Credit: Tesla Megapack/X

The Tesla Lathrop Megafactory recently achieved a new milestone. As per the official Tesla Megapack account on X, the Lathrop Megafactory has produced its 15,000th Megapack 2 XL battery.

15,000 Megapack Batteries

Tesla celebrated the milestone with a photo of the Lathrop Megafactory team posing with a freshly produced Megapack battery. To commemorate the event, the team held balloons that spelled out “15,000” as they posed for the photo.

The Tesla Megapack is the backbone of Tesla Energy’s battery deployments. Designed for grid-scale applications, each Megapack offers 3.9 MWh of energy and 1.9 MW of power. The battery is extremely scalable, making it perfect for massive energy storage projects.

https://twitter.com/Tesla_Megapack/status/1932578971700638203

More Megafactories

The Lathrop Megafactory is Tesla’s first dedicated facility for its flagship battery storage system. It currently stands as the largest utility-scale battery factory in North America. The facility is capable of producing 10,000 Megapack batteries every year, equal to 40 GWh of clean energy storage.

Thanks to the success of the Megapack, Tesla has expanded its energy business by building and launching the Shanghai Megafactory, which is also expected to produce 40 GWh of energy storage per year. The ramp of the Shanghai Megafactory is quite impressive, with Tesla noting in its Q1 2025 Update Letter that the Shanghai Megafactory managed to produce over 100 Megapack batteries in the first quarter alone.

Tesla Energy’s Potential

During the first quarter earnings call, CEO Elon Musk stated that the Megapack is extremely valuable to the energy industry.

“The Megapack enables utility companies to output far more total energy than would otherwise be the case… This is a massive unlock on total energy output of any given grid over the course of a year. And utility companies are beginning to realize this and are buying in our Megapacks at scale,” Musk said.

Energy

Tesla Megapacks powers the xAI Colossus supercomputer

Tesla Megapacks step in to stabilize xAI’s Colossus supercomputer, replacing natural gas turbines. Musk’s ventures keep intertwining.

Published

3 months ago

May 7, 2025

Maria Merano

(Credit: Tesla Megapack)

Tesla Megapack batteries will power the xAI Colossus supercomputer in Memphis to ensure power stability. The collaboration between Tesla and xAI highlights the synergy among Elon Musk’s ventures.

The artificial intelligence startup has integrated Tesla Megapacks to manage outages and demand surges, bolstering the facility’s reliability. The Greater Memphis Chamber announced that Colossus, recently connected to a new 150-megawatt electric substation, is completing its first construction phase. This transition addresses criticism from environmental justice groups over the initial use of natural gas turbines.

“The temporary natural gas turbines that were being used to power the Phase I GPUs prior to grid connection are now being demobilized and will be removed from the site over the next two months.

“About half of the operating turbines will remain operating to power Phase II GPUs of xAI until a second substation (#22) already in construction is completed and connected to the electric grid, which is planned for the Fall of 2025, at which time the remaining turbines will be relegated to a backup power role,” the Chamber stated.

Tesla Energy shines with substantial YoY growth in deployments

xAI’s rapid development of Colossus reflects its ambition to advance AI capabilities, but the project has faced scrutiny for environmental impacts. The shift to Megapacks and grid power aims to mitigate these concerns while ensuring operational continuity.

The Megapack deployment underscores the collaboration among Musk’s companies, including Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. Tesla appears to be the common link between all of Musk’s companies. For example, The Boring Company built a tunnel in Giga, Texas. In addition, Musk has hinted at a potential collaboration between the Tesla Optimus Bot and Neuralink. And from January 2024 to February 2025, xAI invested $230 million in Megapacks, per a Tesla filing.

Tesla Energy reported a 156% year-over-year increase in Q1 2025, deploying 10.4 GWh of storage products, including Megapacks and Powerwalls. Tesla’s plans for a new Megapack factory in Waller County, Texas, which is expected to create 1,500 jobs in the area, further signal its commitment to scaling energy solutions.

As xAI leverages Tesla’s Megapacks to power Colossus, the integration showcases Musk’s interconnected business ecosystem. The supercomputer’s enhanced stability positions xAI to drive AI innovation, while Tesla’s energy solutions gain prominence, setting the stage for broader technological and economic impacts.