Energy
What is the cost of charging your Tesla using rooftop solar?
Following the announcement that Tesla has begun selling its Solar Roof tile, Model S and Model X owners, as well as Model 3 reservation holders, might be wondering how much of an investment would be required if one were to charge their Tesla through solar.
After all, Elon Musk’s grand vision for Tesla is to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy which he breaks down into a 3-pronged approach.
- First – convert all power generation to solar power. The company’s acquisition of SolarCity last year brings this into the fold and Tesla has already started to reshape the solar strategy since then.
- Second – store the energy. Tesla’s fundamental product is the battery pack which it has developed for vehicular, residential and commercial use. Battery storage units like the Powerwall and Powerpack store excess power generated through solar which can be used at a later time when sunlight isn’t available.
- Third – convert all transportation to electric (with the exception of rockets). Though Tesla is arguably best known for its fleet of electric cars, Must has said in the past that vehicles will represent a small portion of the overall business in the long run.
To determine the cost of solar for his home, Ben Sullins of Teslanomics uses his 5.12kW solar system that is comprised of 16 solar panels as a benchmark. It’s worth nothing that the solar system being referred to isn’t Tesla’s Solar Roof tile which isn’t available until later this year, but a traditional rooftop solar system using solar panels.
Because of the abundance of sunshine where Sullins lives, the system was designed to offset his total annual consumption of electricity. Looking at it from an month-to-month perspective, the system over produces electricity in the summer and under produces in the winter.
Those living in an area where their utility has a less than favorable net-metering agreement in place like Nevada, residential energy storage systems like the Powerall can store the power generated during the day for use at night.
The solar system Sullins mapped out in his video costs roughly $20,000 before factoring in a $6,000 federal tax credit. This takes the total out-of-pocket cost down to $14,000 for a system that will offset all of his electricity usage. Spreading this cost over the estimated 25-year life of the solar system and he’s paying approximately $47 a month for the system over its entire life.
Sullins notes that his annual cost of electricity was $2,300 before the solar installation which dropped to $10 a month which is a mandated connection fee for staying connected to the grid.
To better understand the portion of his utility bill that reflects energy used by his Tesla Model S, Sullins isolated the “super off-peak” usage (late night to early morning hours) as a percentage of the total cost which came out to 45%.
The total cost of his solar system is $10 for the monthly utility connection charge and $47 for the solar system, totaling $57 a month. Taking the percentage of the bill that represents the Tesla’s usage (45%) and he has a monthly cost of $26 for charging his Model S through solar.
There you have it. Installing a residential rooftop solar system can save Tesla owners a grip of cash by generating their own power. This effectively lets them drive on sunshine, leading to a truly zero-emissions driving experience.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Rivian is suing Ohio for a direct sales ban, and it lists Tesla as getting favoritism
Tesla engineer explains why Elon Musk deserves new pay package
Tesla Cybertruck leftovers are the main course at the Supercharger Diner
-
News1 week agoTesla hints a smaller pickup truck could be on the way
-
Investor's Corner2 weeks agoLIVE BLOG: Tesla (TSLA) Q2 2025 earnings call updates
-
News2 weeks agoTesla sees 9,900 new vehicle registrations in China in July’s third week
-
Investor's Corner2 weeks agoTesla still poised to earn $3B in ZEV credits this year: Piper Sandler
-
News2 weeks agoTesla is ready with a perfect counter to the end of US EV tax credits
-
News2 weeks agoTesla Model Y becomes dual champ in China’s vehicle sales rankings
-
News2 weeks agoTesla Q2 2025 vehicle safety report proves FSD makes driving almost 10X safer
-
Investor's Corner2 weeks agoTesla (TSLA) Q2 2025 earnings call: What investors want to know