Tesla discontinues Solar Roof project after years of struggles

Tesla ends Solar Roof project without announcement

Tesla has discontinued its Solar Roof project, a product designed to replace traditional roofing with solar-powered tiles. The company’s website now redirects visitors from the Solar Roof page to a different solar panels page, and the product has been removed from Tesla’s energy menu. There was no official press release or regulatory filing about the shutdown.

The Solar Roof was first introduced in 2016, with Elon Musk predicting it would eventually install 1,000 units per week. However, the company only ever installed a total of 3,000 units, far below its original goals. At its peak, Tesla installed just 32 units in a single week.

Key facts about Tesla’s Solar Roof

• Tesla acquired SolarCity in 2016 for $2.6 billion, making Solar Roof an official Tesla product.
• Elon Musk initially promised 1,000 installations per week by the end of 2019, but the company never came close.
• Only 3,000 Solar Roofs were installed in total, with a peak of 32 installations in one week.
• The product was removed from Tesla’s website in August 2026, signaling its discontinuation.
• An internal review reportedly concluded the Solar Roof was “not financially viable.”

Timeline of Tesla’s Solar Roof struggles

The Solar Roof project faced challenges from the beginning. In 2016, Tesla unveiled four different tile styles, but only one was ever produced at scale. By 2018, investigations found that only 12 Solar Roofs had been connected in California, far below Musk’s estimates of several hundred.

In 2021, Tesla began raising prices on existing contracts, sometimes doubling the cost for customers. This led to multiple lawsuits, including a class-action settlement in 2023 where Tesla paid $6.08 million without admitting wrongdoing. The company also required customers to bundle Solar Roof installations with its Powerwall battery, increasing costs further.

Tesla’s solar deployment numbers declined over time. In 2024, the company reported its weakest quarterly solar figures since 2020 and stopped publishing quarterly updates afterward. By April 2025, Tesla removed online quotes for Solar Roofs, directing customers to third-party installers instead.

What Tesla has confirmed

• The Solar Roof webpage now redirects to a different solar panels page.
• The product has been removed from Tesla’s energy menu.
• Tesla installed only 3,000 Solar Roofs in total, with a peak of 32 installations in one week.
• An internal review reportedly concluded the product was “not financially viable.”
• Tesla has shifted focus to conventional solar panels, launching its own panel product in January 2026.

What remains unclear

• Tesla did not issue an official statement about the discontinuation of the Solar Roof.
• No regulatory filing or press release accompanied the shutdown.
• The exact reasons for the project’s failure beyond financial viability are not detailed in public records.
• It is unclear how many customers are still waiting for installations or refunds.

Why Tesla’s Solar Roof shutdown matters

The discontinuation of the Solar Roof marks the end of a high-profile attempt to integrate solar energy into home construction. Tesla’s struggles with the product highlight the challenges of scaling new technology in the renewable energy sector. The company’s shift to conventional solar panels suggests a pivot toward more established solutions.

The Solar Roof’s failure also raises questions about the viability of similar innovative products in the future. Tesla’s experience may serve as a case study for other companies considering ambitious solar projects.

Sources

• Protos
• Electrek
• The Verge