After years of near-dormancy, Tesla's solar panel program is experiencing a sudden and massive revival.
Facing record-low solar production last year — to the point where the company stopped even reporting data — recent American political activity has led to a resurgence of interest in the technology, Electrek reported. On a conference call, Mike Snyder, Tesla's vice president of energy and charging, was not shy about identifying these reasons for the uptick.
"We've also seen a surge in residential solar demand in the U.S. due to policy changes, which we expect to continue into the first half of 2026, as we introduced a new solar lease product," Snyder said. "We also began production of our Tesla residential solar panel in our Buffalo factory, and we will be shipping that to customers starting Q1. The panel has industry-leading aesthetics and shade performance, and demonstrates our continued commitment to US manufacturing."
The evidence for why solar panels — and solar energy in general — are beneficial for the environment is massive and well-documented, but this is also unexpectedly good news for Tesla itself. The company is not even well-known for its solar panel division, but it now has another avenue of positive press to build on following a first half of 2025 that featured boycotts, massive sales slumps, and increasing social stigma.
Granted, this level of production may not last long, as the sudden surge in solar demand stems from the tax credit expiring at the end of 2025. Nevertheless, it is something to build on for the embattled EV giant.
If you drive an EV — Tesla or otherwise — or are considering making the switch, you may also want to consider purchasing a home charger, as they are significantly cheaper than using public chargers. Qmerit is helping homeowners who are interested in installing Level 2 EV chargers by providing free, instant installation estimates.
Installing solar panels on your home can also dramatically increase the cost savings associated with EV ownership. EnergySage makes it easy to compare quotes from vetted local companies and save up to $10,000 on solar installations.
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