Tesla has removed premium solar roof tiles from its online storefront, marking the end of a decade-long effort that began with the product’s unveiling in 2016. The discontinuation, first reported by Electrek, shifts the company’s solar strategy toward traditional panels, which Tesla now produces at its Buffalo, New York facility and has delivered to residential customers this year.
The solar roof program, introduced under CEO Elon Musk, struggled to gain traction despite ambitious targets. In 2021, Tesla aimed for 1,000 installations per week, though industry estimates suggested actual figures fell short of that goal. The company’s website now redirects visitors seeking solar solutions to its panel offerings instead.
Tesla is pivoting toward scaling up solar cell production. The automaker filed plans this month in Texas for a $10.1 billion solar-cell factory outside Houston, projected to create 9,712 permanent jobs. The facility would complement Tesla’s existing manufacturing operations in Buffalo, where the company has ramped up panel production for residential delivery.
Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the product shift or future plans for its solar initiatives.
