Elon Musk’s solar roof tiles made all the hullabaloo on the web back when it was released, but couldn’t really make a mark in the actual market after that. One major reason was the customer’s reluctance to replace their entire facade with not so discrete and aesthetically pleasing tiles.
But Musk isn’t going to give up on the idea just yet, as the company is now marketing sleek, discrete and low-profile solar panels that are easier and cheaper to install while custom designed to better blend with the roofs as compared to traditional panels.
Tesla website’s Energy section was recently updated with latest images of their new solar panels, and their seamless look is credited to the
“integrated front skirts and no visible mounting hardware”
as per Tesla’s website.
Electrek claims that the minimal hardware features come thanks to Zep Solar, which is a mounting equipment company acquired first by SolarCity and now Tesla. Zep Solar engineers are also credited with the design of the rail-less system that SolarCity used to cut down the solar panel installation times in half.
Tesla adds on their website that their panels
“exceed industry standards for durability and lifespan.”
Tesla has handed over the manufacturing to Panasonic, who will use their Gigafactory 2 in Buffalo, New York to execute the order on a massive scale. Just like some other panels by Panasonic, these panels will also be bear 325-watt power with a 25-year power output warranty and 21.76 percent module efficiency.
Tesla and even SolarCity use multiple suppliers for their panels, but as revealed by Electrek, Tesla is looking to use Panasonic for all their residential projects in the future.
Now You Can Generate Electricity While You Walk On This Floor
If you are interested in the latest “fashionable” tiles, you can request a custom quote on Tesla’s website. The production is expected to begin this summer.