When Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced its solar roof shingles in October 2016, it instantly gathered public interest. However, it took them almost two years before they installed the first solar roofs, and it wasn’t apparent if it was the ground-breaking technology they said it would be.
Fast forward to October 2019, and the company unveiled its Solar Roof V3. They claimed that it is their best solar roofing product yet. But is Tesla’s new solar shingles worth the investment? Are they good? Let’s find out!
New and Improved Solar Shingles
Tesla aimed to improve its existing product by identifying and fixing its flaws. They wanted to upgrade the product in all of its aspects. The company increased the energy density, reduced costs, streamlined manufacturability, improved the installation process and reduced its Solar Roof warranty.
Most of the improvements in the new solar tiles were brought about by increasing their size. The increased tile size allowed for faster installation, increased durability, and better solar generation. The installation process was made easier by reducing the number of parts and sub-assemblies needed due to the larger size of tiles and reduced complexity. Manufacturing also became faster and cheaper. The bigger tiles have increased power density that resulted in better solar generation. Tesla also changed some of the materials used on the tiles, like the coating that hides the solar cells to a more scalable technology. The new tiles now measure 15 by 45 inches.
Better Price Point
Aside from improving their new Solar Roof’s overall performance, Tesla also managed to lower its price by a significant amount. Compared to the previous versions of the Tesla Solar Roof, the V3 costs thousands of dollars cheaper.
In 2019, a solar roof would cost $75,000 for a 2,000 sq. ft. house, according to the Tesla website. That amount was 33% more expensive than getting a new roof and installing them with solar panels for the same house, which is estimated to be only around $34,000. The annual power generated by the solar panels is even greater than the solar roof, 13,000kWh compared to 10,000kWh. So on paper, the Tesla solar roof was not a practical choice, especially if you didn’t need a new roof.
However, when the Solar Roof V3 was announced, Elon Musk said that the new version would cost less than the average of a new roof plus solar panels in most instances. Using the earlier example, the price of the new solar roof would now only be $31,000. The Tesla Solar Roof now comes cheaper than all other high-end roofing options like metal, tile, and slate, with a solar panel system.
Durability and Warranty
Talking about durability, Tesla made sure their product will stand the tests of time and nature. The company claims that its solar shingles are three times more durable than standard roofing tiles and are engineered for all-weather durability. Its specifications say that it has a Class 3 Hail Rating (up to 1.75” diameter hail), Class F Wind Rating (Category 3 Hurricane), and a Class A Fire Rating (best fire rating), which is pretty impressive.
The company didn’t fall short on the warranty as well. Although they removed its “infinity or the life of the home” warranty, they still put a reasonable warranty on the solar roof. It has a tile, power, and weatherization warranty of 25 years. In this period, the house owner would have saved enough money on energy bills to pay for the solar roof.
Final Thoughts
The new Solar Roof V3 stepped up the game for Tesla’s solar roofs. Now that it’s more affordable, you’ll be able to focus more on the upsides of the product than the cost. It offers plenty of advantages, and it is more practical now than the previous versions. However, not everyone needs a new roof. Installing a solar panel system on your current roof is still cheaper.
For all your roofing needs, contact Yorkshire Roofing. Whether it’s installing solar panels or just regular maintenance on your roof, we got you covered! Our team will take care of your roof because it protects your home.
(Source: Ben Sullins.)
