Tesla made public its plans of creating solar roof tiles products. While the technology of having a solar tiles as a roofing material is already brilliant, the only selling factor is its price.
Its CEO Elon Musk first said that Tesla’s solar roof will be cheaper than a regular roof, considering energy savings. Later, he announced that it “could cost less than a regular roof – even before energy production.”
The company did not disappoint.
“A typical homeowner can expect to pay $21.85 per square foot for a Solar Roof,” said the company in its recent announcement. But that price includes energy generation, with the actual cost of solar tiles slated at $42 per square foot.
Source: Tesla
That is not the only promise that Tesla fulfilled. It previously said that it could sell the solar roof tiles with a warranty that lasts for a lifetime of the house. Now, the company formally announced that this is true.
“Made with tempered glass, Solar Roof tiles are more than three times stronger than standard roofing tiles. That’s why we offer the best warranty in the industry – the lifetime of your house, or infinity, whichever comes first,” said Musk.
Moreover, Tesla guaranteed that the solar power generation of their products lasts for 30 years, a feat commendable in the solar panel industry.
As to the solar tiles’ strength, tests prove that it withstand the shooting for large ball of hail.
Source: Tesla
Interested buyers should take note that the tiles on the roof are not entirely solar, as the percentage would still depend on the energy needs of the household and shading coming from structural items such as dormers.
There will be cases that the roof will be composed of 70% solar tiles, but mostly it will be around 40%. The $21.85 per square foot price point was calculated for a roof where 35 percent of the tiles are solar.
In its website, Tesla provided a solar roof tile calculator, wherein homeowners in the US can use to get an estimate based on data from Google’s Sunroof project.
If you order a system online now, a $1,000 USD deposit is required. Tesla noted that non-US homeowners can purchase but they will have to wait for installation next year.
Source: Tesla
Tesla will sell smooth black glass tiles and the textured glass tiles for a start because they are the ones with the most number of inquiries. Production will start this summer.
Source: Electrek
