On October 28, 2016 Elon Musk revealed to the public one of his latest pet projects: Tesla Solar Roofing. Now I know what you’re thinking: What the hell is that? Simply put its roofing that doubles as solar panels. So deceptive was their appearance that the audience was unaware of their presence until Musk himself pointed them out. Some critics have even gone as far as saying that they could change the solar industry forever.
How Does Tesla Solar Roofing Work?
The tiles have three layers. Tempered glass forms the upper layer, the middle layer is made of louvre film, and the solar panel occupies the bottom layer. With the help of the louvre film the tiles appear transparent when viewed from above but opaque when viewed from the street. And if you’re worried you’ll get stuck with a boring roof that doesn’t fit your particular fashion sense, then worry no more because you have variety on your side.
Upon release, Tesla will offer its customers four different tiles to choose from. You’ll be able to choose between Tuscan Glass Tile, Slate Glass Tile, Textured Glass Tile and Smooth Glass Tile. The tempered glass also makes them more durable than traditional roofing material. Musk impressed this upon his invited guests by showing a video presentation in which a weight was dropped on traditional tiles and a Tesla tile.
When the dust settled the traditional tiles laid broken on the floor while the Tesla tile escaped unscathed. But when referencing what they’ll cost homeowners, Musk was a little enigmatic saying that they’ll cost less than the traditional roof plus electricity, which doesn’t really answer the question of how much cash a homeowner will have to fork up.
The Tesla Battery
We do know one thing for certain though. Tesla roofing will come alongside the new Tesla home battery, the Powerwall 2.0. Yes, the old battery is getting a new makeover and you’ll be able to charge your electric car (if you happen to own one) using it. So until the price is released it’s hard to say whether or not Tesla roofing will be a widespread sensation or if it will be another luxury item available only to a select few.