Tesla releases pricing patterns for its ambitious Solar Roof project

Tesla’s Solar Roof project is finally entering the market as the company releases pricing patterns.

Announced in October 2016, Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised a glass roofing tile that would appear similar to traditional building materials but would differ in a way that it would generate electricity for a home by way of a solar cell embedded in each of its tiles.



Musk had initially claimed that the pricing patterns would amount to the cost of a standard roof “plus electricity”.

"The typical homeowner can expect to pay $21.85 per-square foot for Solar Roof, and benefit from a beautiful new roof that also increases the value of their home," according to a blog post.

PHOTO: TESLA

Tesla’s cost generation is based on a combination of both active and passive Solar Roof tiles. Certain tiles will have the photovoltaic cells embedded in them while some won’t due to varying sun exposure for the tiles. Tiles without the active cells will cost around $11 each while the active solar tiles would cost $42 each.

Telsa’s Solar Roof calculator gives you each figure based on your location, the amount of energy consumption, and other relevant factors. For instance, a 2,000 square-foot home in Louisville, Kentucky, would cost $66,700.

PHOTO: TESLA

Add $7,000 more to account for a Powerwall battery to store the energy generated from it, minus $18,000 estimated tax rebate and $45,000 in estimated energy bill savings over the next 30 years. Once you're done with all the calculation the total cost for this particular Solar Roof amounts to $10,700, according to Tesla's calculator.



The company has already started to accept pre-orders for the smooth and textured variants of the Solar Roof tiles.

PHOTO: TESLA

Soon to follow will be the slate and Tuscan styles becoming available later this year.