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Will Tesla Install Home Solar Panels To Charge Cars? (buffalonews.com)
Earlier this week, Tesla signed a non-binding agreement to buy solar cells from a new Panasonic factory in Buffalo, New York -- but it's part of a much bigger maneuver. An anonymous Slashdot reader writes:
"If all goes to plan, Tesla will be supplying customers with the solar panels that generate electricity that could then be used to charge the battery in their Tesla car or the battery in the Tesla Powerwall home energy storage system," reports the Christian Science Monitor. The Wall Street Journal reports that Musk's SolarCity "will sell, finance and install the panels."
But the Buffalo News suggests the deal is really "aimed squarely at skeptical shareholders" who may be leary of a proposed merger between Tesla and SolarCity," which one analyst calculates will require nearly $6 billion in extra capital. Panasonic could help shoulder the costs of the Buffalo factory, while also putting a more experienced manufacturer in charge of producing high-efficiency solar modules.
The Stack reports some shareholders have actually filed a lawsuit against the merger.
But the Buffalo News suggests the deal is really "aimed squarely at skeptical shareholders" who may be leary of a proposed merger between Tesla and SolarCity," which one analyst calculates will require nearly $6 billion in extra capital. Panasonic could help shoulder the costs of the Buffalo factory, while also putting a more experienced manufacturer in charge of producing high-efficiency solar modules.
The Stack reports some shareholders have actually filed a lawsuit against the merger.
I can buy solar panels to charge the Tesla I don't have, or charge the Powerwall I don't have, or to power my house and put electricity into the grid.
And I don't have to buy them from Tesla – there are plenty of other sellers out there.
This is a great move but I don't understand why Tesla built its huge battery factory in Nevada, after the wholly-owned utility commission basically killed home solar in Nevada with fees paid to the power companies. Surely that factory could have been used as leverage.
Tesla should do something to justify their "zero emission" vehicles claim.
Will Tesla eat cheese?
What will Tesla get for Christmas?
What would Jesus do?
Right, Tesla's popular cars and SpaceX's rockets that supply the ISS are just paper... Exactly like Theranos' semi-fictional "wonder-machine"...
And what is all this about public money? Tesla is actually the only American car company that has repaid all their government loans, with interest.
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Sure, you could charge a powerwall and then charge your Tesla at night from that, but there would be a lot of inefficiency in addition to heavy cycling on the powerwall.
But overall it doesn't seem like a compelling sales pitch -- buy solar panels to charge the car that will be at work when the sun is shining.
Maybe the spreadsheet math works financially by offsetting daytime use vs. nighttime charging.
Isn't Musk the Chairman of SolarCity, which is run by his cousins and has SpaceX as a large shareholder?
What's the point of this?
Most people who charge at home, charge at night. So, without storage, solar panels don't help.
But it's not "some storage", it's lots of storage. The largest residential Powerwall is 10kWh, so you would need 2 1/2 of these to fully charge a Leaf. A Tesla with the smallest 60 kWh battery would require 10 of them.
If you charge every night and drive an average commute (30-40 miles/day), then I suppose one Powerwall would be sufficient.
The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
if investor want to waste it and lose money, let them.
I bought shares at ~$30 in 2011, sold recently at ~$200, which according to you is "waste and losing money". Whatever dude.
Will a PowerWall allow fast charging?
Is fast charging desirable or destructive?
How many PowerWalls are needed to fully charge your 'average' Tesla?
Irrespective, solar us a logical step with an electric car. BUT in one of the possible futures we won't have a car, garage or driveway. Indeed there won't be cars parking out the roads as the cars will be stationed/charged somewhere else and summoned on demand. In that possible future, the PowerWall would still be available for the house and grid so that future works.
Ok, I should order my solar/ PowerWall now then.
The key word there is 'almost'. Almost all startups fail in the end. People try things out and when they don't succeed, they are put out of business. The IP they create in the meantime is passed on to more capable people to continue trying with.
The fact Tesla has repaid their loans doesn't mean anything. You compare a small niche car enterprise with a volatile market with large car manufacturers with steady business with strong competition, which means profit margins are lower, and much larger loans. This is unfair and it is made up just to deserve your argument.
Achille Talon
Hop!
You mean the company that is outselling BMW and Mercedes in the luxury car market? That niche company?
The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
My Tesla uses about 300 Wh/mile. At 12,000 miles a year, that's 3600 kWh/year.
My solar panels generate about 9000 kWh/year. That's enough to keep my car charged and my house running with a zero electric bill.
My solar system is rather small, only 6.2 kW. I can easily add more capacity if necessary.
I don't read your sig. Why are you reading mine?
You mean the company that is outselling BMW and Mercedes in the luxury car market? That niche company?
The company whose arguably mid-size luxury sedan is outselling BMW's and Mercedes' large luxury sedans, yes.
$70,000 tesla vehicle.
$15,000-$20,000 solar panel installation costs (give or take).
Department of Energy average houshold electric bill is about $110.00 per month.
You sir have just paid about 75 years worth of electric bills already just to drive a vehicle with no fuel costs.