Tesla Solar Roof Tiles Are So Popular They’re Sold Out Until 2018
They haven't even started shipping yet.
Deliveries for Tesla solar roof tiles have yet to start, but if you’re interested in adorning your abode with Elon Musk’s latest invention, you’re already going to have to wait until next year. The company only started taking tile pre-orders 16 days ago, but eager fans have been quick off the mark to invest in their home of the future.
Sources speaking to Electrek confirmed a report from RBC Capital Markets, which claimed that the company has sold all its stock until well into next year. The source claimed that early orders exceeded expectations.
Bear in mind that Tesla has only started taking orders for two styles of tile. Customers can only pre-order textured and smooth tile styles for now, with the pair expected to start shipping sometime this year. Pre-orders for the tuscan and slate styles are expected to start in six months’ time, with deliveries expected to start next year.
The price of the roof depends on energy consumption needs and the percentage of active solar tiles on the roof. On average, the roof should cost around $21.85 per square foot, undercutting a figure suggested by Consumer Reports that a solar roof needs to cost less than $24.50 to compete effectively.
Although they haven’t yet shipped, expectations are high as the company has made an effort to promote the tiles’ capabilities. Alongside energy production, the tiles are capable of defrosting themselves using a similar technique to the anti-ice wires used in car windshields. They also have the added benefit of providing a higher level of protection than traditional roof tiles:
The Tesla tile, on the far right, is capable of withstanding great force.
It’s still unclear how many solar tiles Tesla was planning to make, and how many orders have been placed. Tesla is making the initial batches at its Fremont plant, before moving production to the Buffalo factory. With plans for a third, fourth, and fifth Gigafactory expected to be unveiled later this year, it may not be long before the solar tiles receive an added boost in production capacity.
