Only 3,000 Tesla Solar Roof systems have been purchased in the U.S., despite the company’s target of 1,000 sales per week.
The Solar Roofs are designed to look like shingles rather than traditional panels, which the EV brand also sells. According to a study published by energy research and consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie, Tesla installed an average of 21 units last year, although sales are increasing. Company CEO Elon Musk has promoted the shingle-style panels since 2016, the same year the automaker purchased SolarCity, the tech’s designer. SolarCity was owned by Musk’s cousins Peter and Lyndon Rive. The $2.6 billion acquisition led to a court case in which investors sued the CEO for bailing out his relatives and acting against the publicly-traded company’s best interests. While the shareholders ultimately lost their case, it is currently under appeal.
Speaking to CNBC, Wood Mackenzie researchers also revealed that the Solar Roof systems generate a maximum of 30 megawatts, significantly less than Tesla’s traditional-style panels which were estimated to support up to 248 megawatts in 2022. The product is also made with photovoltaic glass produced by a Chinese company, despite the EV brand’s original plan to construct the material itself.
The new research sheds more light on Tesla’s confusing plans for the future. While Musk has repeatedly promised the rapid arrival of new electric products and technological advancements, many of the automaker’s projects have taken years to reach production. Speaking to shareholders at the EV brand’s latest Investor Day, the CEO spoke vaguely of ramping up the company’s green energy initiatives. Given the disappointing sales, it remains to be seen if Solar Roofs will be included in these plans or dropped completely.
