Tesla unveils next-gen Solar Roof (and it can be installed in 8 hours, promises Musk)

The next version of Tesla’s Solar Roof is here, and it might actually be ready for the masses. 

Tesla has formally unveiled its third-generation Solar Roof, which uses a new kind of tile made of textured black glass. Available now for pre-orders, Elon Musk said Friday the new roofs can be installed in less than 8 hours.

Roofs will start at around $33,950 (Tesla notes its price estimates include discounts from federal tax credits). During a call with reporters Friday, Musk said the price is “less than what the average roof costs plus solar panels.”

In addition to upgrades to the actual roof tiles, Musk said the company has made big gains in improving the installation process. He said the company plans to work with outside contractors and that Tesla has hosted “install-athon” contests near its Fremont headquarters in order to test installation methods.

Most people can expect shorter wait times between their pre-orders and roof installation, he said, which would help resolve an issue that has been a pain point for some would-be early adopters. 

“Versions 1 and 2, we were still sort of figuring things out,” Musk said earlier this week during a call with investors. “Version 3, I think, is finally ready for the big time.” 

While he acknowledged that initial wait times could still be a few months, Musk said he expects things to ramp up quickly. “Our goal is to get north of 1,000 roofs a week as fast as possible,” he said, adding that the eventual goal is to be able to install between 10,000 and 20,000 roofs a week.

While Solar Roof is still U.S.-only for now, Musk made it clear he wants to expand worldwide in the future. “We can make roofs come alive, you can have a live roof instead of a dead roof,” he said. “In the future it will be odd for roofs to be dormant or dead or not gather energy.”

Musk added that the company will eventually make its Solar Roof tiles available in additional styles beyond the textured black glass it currently uses in order to better suit more styles of architecture. 

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