

Energy
New Tesla Solar Roof variants spotted being tested near Fremont Factory
It appears that Tesla is hard at work testing what could very well be the next variants of its flagship residential solar product, the Solar Roof. As could be seen in a recent flyover around Tesla’s Fremont facilities, the company seems to be testing some tiles with a wood-like appearance, as well as some that feature a similar shade to the “slate” tiles that Elon Musk unveiled back in 2016.
A recent flyover of the Fremont Factory from drone operator Gabeincal revealed some notable activities happening in Tesla’s primary EV production site. This time around, the drone operator was able to capture some images of the refresh Model S and Model X at the Fremont Factory test track and one of the Giga Press machines in action. Tesla’s Kato Road facility, which hosts the company’s pilot production line for its 4680 cells, was reportedly full of employee cars as well.
But amidst these activities, one thing that genuinely drew attention was the test houses that Tesla used for its Solar Roof tiles. The video showed three structures that seemed to be undergoing testing, each with a different type of Solar Roof. One appeared to have been fitted with some dark, smooth, or textured tiles; another with what seemed like simulated cedar tiles, and another with tiles that featured a slate-like shade.
The cedar-like tiles in one of the test houses are particularly interesting considering that such a variant was not initially announced by Elon Musk during the Solar Roof’s unveiling back in 2016. During the tiles’ unveiling ceremony, Musk announced four variants that would eventually be available for ordering: a Smooth tile, a Textured tile, a curved Tuscan tile, and some stunning gray Slate tiles. So far, Tesla’s Solar Roof installations have only been comprised of Textured tiles.
Despite this, Tesla’s patents have suggested that the company is pursuing some new Solar Roof variants. One such patent was issued last March, and it described a way for Tesla to obscure, color match, and camouflage its Solar Roof in a way that makes the tiles almost indiscernible from traditional roofing materials. Tesla’s illustrations in the patent hinted at variants of the Solar Roof that are yet to be released, such as the Tuscan and Slate tiles.
It would not be surprising if Tesla is now exploring Solar Roof variants beyond the initial four designs that were announced in late 2016. Cedar Solar Roofs would be a good expansion from the Textured tiles that the company is producing today, after all, as wood shingles have been used in colonial American homes for many years, partly due to their excellent insulation properties and durability. If Tesla does release a Cedar Solar Roof variant, it would not be surprising if it becomes a great seller among homeowners.
Elon Musk has noted that the Solar Roof’s potential would likely be evident this 2021. “I think a future where we’ve got beautiful roofs generating energy that are tough and resilient and better in every way than a natural roof and alive with energy, that’s the future we want. Solar Roof is a killer product. This will become obvious next year,” Musk said in a previous earnings call.
Watch a recent drone flyover of Tesla’s Fremont facilities in the video below.
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Energy
Tesla Energy is the world’s top global battery storage system provider again
Tesla Energy captured 15% of the battery storage segment’s global market share in 2024.

Tesla Energy held its top position in the global battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator market for the second consecutive year, capturing 15% of global market share in 2024, as per Wood Mackenzie’s latest rankings.
Tesla Energy’s lead, however, is shrinking, as Chinese competitors like Sungrow are steadily increasing their global footprint, particularly in European markets.
Tesla Energy dominates in North America, but its lead is narrowing globally
Tesla Energy retained its leadership in the North American market with a commanding 39% share in 2024. Sungrow, though still ranked second in the region, saw its share drop from 17% to 10%. Powin took third place, even if the company itself filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, as noted in a Solar Power World report.
On the global stage, Tesla Energy’s lead over Sungrow shrank from four points in 2023 to just one in 2024, indicating intensifying competition. Chinese firm CRRC came in third worldwide with an 8% share.
Wood Mackenzie ranked vendors based on MWh shipments with recognized revenue in 2024. According to analyst Kevin Shang, “Competition among established BESS integrators remains incredibly intense. Seven of the top 10 vendors last year struggled to expand their market share, remaining either unchanged or declining.”

Chinese integrators surge in Europe, falter in U.S.
China’s influence on the BESS market continues to grow, with seven of the global top 10 BESS integrators now headquartered in the country. Chinese companies saw a 67% year-over-year increase in European market share, and four of the top 10 BESS vendors in Europe are now based in China. In contrast, Chinese companies’ market share in North America dropped more than 30%, from 23% to 16% amid Tesla Energy’s momentum and the Trump administration’s policies.
Wood Mackenzie noted that success in the global BESS space will hinge on companies’ ability to adapt to divergent regulations and geopolitical headwinds. “The global BESS integrator landscape is becoming increasingly complex, with regional trade policies and geopolitical tensions reshaping competitive dynamics,” Shang noted, pointing to Tesla’s maintained lead and the rapid ascent of Chinese rivals as signs of a shifting industry balance.
“While Tesla maintains its global leadership, the rapid rise of Chinese integrators in Europe and their dominance in emerging markets like the Middle East signals a fundamental shift in the industry. Success will increasingly depend on companies’ ability to navigate diverse regulatory environments, adapt to local market requirements, and maintain competitive cost structures across multiple regions,” the analyst added.
Energy
Tesla inks multi-billion-dollar deal with LG Energy Solution to avoid tariff pressure
Tesla has reportedly secured a sizable partnership with LGES for LFP cells, and there’s an extra positive out of it.

Tesla has reportedly inked a multi-billion-dollar deal with LG Energy Solution in an effort to avoid tariff pressure and domesticate more of its supply chain.
Reuters is reporting that Tesla and LGES, a South Korean battery supplier of the automaker, signed a $4.3 billion deal for energy storage system batteries. The cells are going to be manufactured by LGES at its U.S. factory located in Michigan, the report indicates. The batteries will be the lithium iron phosphate, or LFP, chemistry.
Tesla delivers 384,000 vehicles in Q2 2025, deploys 9.6 GWh in energy storage
It is a move Tesla is making to avoid buying cells and parts from overseas as the Trump White House continues to use tariffs to prioritize domestic manufacturing.
LGES announced earlier today that it had signed a $4.3 billion contract to supply LFP cells over three years to a company, but it did not identify the customer, nor did the company state whether the batteries would be used in automotive or energy storage applications.
The deal is advantageous for both companies. Tesla is going to alleviate its reliance on battery cells that are built out of the country, so it’s going to be able to take some financial pressure off itself.
For LGES, the company has reported that it has experienced slowed demand for its cells in terms of automotive applications. It planned to offset this demand lag with more projects involving the cells in energy storage projects. This has been helped by the need for these systems at data centers used for AI.
During the Q1 Earnings Call, Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja confirmed that the company’s energy division had been impacted by the need to source cells from China-based suppliers. He went on to say that the company would work on “securing additional supply chain from non-China-based suppliers.”
It seems as if Tesla has managed to secure some of this needed domestic supply chain.
Energy
Tesla Shanghai Megafactory produces 1,000th Megapack for export to Europe
The Shanghai Megafactory was able to hit this milestone less than six months after it started producing the Megapack.

Tesla Energy has announced a fresh milestone for its newest Megapack factory. As per the electric vehicle maker, the Shanghai Megafactory has successfully produced its 1,000th Megapack battery.
The facility was able to hit this milestone less than six months after it started producing the grid-scale battery system.
New Tesla Megapack Milestone
As per Tesla Asia in a post on its official accounts on social media platform X, the 1,000th Megapack unit that was produced at the Shanghai Megafactory would be exported to Europe. As noted in a CNEV Post report, Tesla’s energy products are currently deployed in over 65 countries and regions globally. This allows Tesla Energy to compete in energy markets that are both emerging and mature.
To commemorate the 1,000th Megapack produced at the Shanghai Megafactory, the Tesla China team posted with the grid-scale battery with celebratory balloons that spelled “Megapack 1000.” The milestone was celebrated by Tesla enthusiasts on social media, especially since the Shanghai Megafactory only started its operations earlier this year.
Quick Megafactory Ramp
The Shanghai Megafactory, similar to Tesla’s other key facilities in China, was constructed quickly. The facility started its construction on May 23, 2024, and it was hailed as Tesla’s first entry storage project outside the United States. Less than a year later, on February 11, 2025, the Shanghai Megafactory officially started producing Megapack batteries. And by March 21, 2025, Tesla China noted that it had shipped the first batch of Megapack batteries from the Shanghai plant to foreign markets.
While the Shanghai Megafactory is still not at the same level of output as Tesla’s Lathrop Megafactory, which produces about 10,000 Megapacks per year, its ramp seems to be quite steady and quick. It would then not be surprising if Tesla China announces the Shanghai Megafactory’s 2,000th Megapack milestone in the coming months.
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