Tesla Unveils Solar Roofs, New Powerwall 2
Tesla Motors Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk on Friday unveiled the company's solar roof-top panels, new $5,500 Powerwall 2 high-capacity residential battery pack and Powerpack 2 for businesses. Musk talked about the benefits of combining his electric car and battery maker with solar installer SolarCity Corp, in an event held in Los Angeles, California.
The company announced solar-powered roof tiles that eliminate the need for traditional panels and a longer-lasting home battery, which Tesla calls the Powerwall, aimed at realizing his vision of selling a fossil fuel free lifestyle to consumers.
"This is sort of the integrated future. An electric car, a Powerwall and a solar roof. The key is it needs to be beautiful, affordable and seamlessly integrated," Musk said while showcasing the products on homes at Universal Studios.
Musk is the biggest shareholder in both Tesla and SolarCity, and a vote on a merger is scheduled for Nov. 17.
By incorporating solar modules into rooftops, Tesla is hoping to succeed with a solar technology that to date has had little success. Earlier this year, Dow Chemical said it would stop selling a solar shingle it launched five years ago.
Of course the system requires batteries to keep the humming along when the sun goes down. With that in mind, Tesla also introduced a new version of its Powerwall. The company said the two 14 kWh lithium-ion battery packs inside each pack (over double the capacity of the previous version) will power a four bedroom house with lights, refrigerator and other appliances for an entire day.
The new Powerall also now includes a built-in power inverter. The previous version required a separate piece of hardware. That inverter works directly with the solar roof tiles to convert sunlight into electricity.
Musk said they will start installing the glass tiles in summer 2017.