Tesla is still hoping to begin installations of its solar roof tile product later this year, but that’s not really a great option unless you’re building new or replacing your existing roof, so it makes sense that it would continue to also offer retrofit solar options, like the new Panasonic panels it began advertising on its site quietly over the weekend.
The new roof tiles showed up on Tesla’s Energy website, as noted by Electrek, and advertise a new low-profile design created specifically for Tesla by Panasonic as part of the partnership between the two companies. Tesla and Panasonic have already long-partnered on Tesla’s vehicle batteries, but the two extended their collaboration to solar with the new large-scale manufacturing facility in Buffalo, NY. These won’t be offered up to any other solar supplier or to consumers, except thorugh Tesla.
They’re not yet in production, but that’s expected to begin this summer according to Tesla, Electrek says, and while they aren’t quite as camouflaged as the forthcoming solar tiles, they do blend in much better with existing dark-colored roof materials vs. traditional panels, and they have a lower profile to hug the existing roof that much more closely.
As for tech specs, the panels have a 325-watt capacity, and Tesla says they best existing industry standards in terms of durability and overall life. Tesla’s accepting requests for quotes for the new system currently via its just-launched website, but actual installation dates remain TBD.