Tesla Inc. has started producing its own residential solar panels at Gigafactory New York in Buffalo, with first customer deliveries expected in the first quarter of 2026.
The move comes amid renewed interest in Tesla’s solar business, which the company had largely deprioritized in recent years.
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During Tesla’s Q3 earnings call, Mike Snyder, VP of Energy and Charging, cited a surge in U.S. residential solar demand driven by recent policy changes: “We’ve also seen a surge in residential solar demand in the US due to policy changes, which we expect to continue into the first half of 2026, as we introduced a new solar lease product.” Snyder was referring to the expiration of the 30% federal tax credit for residential solar systems under the Trump administration.
Snyder also confirmed the launch of a new Tesla solar panel produced domestically: “We also began production of our Tesla residential solar panel in our Buffalo factory, and we will be shipping that to customers starting Q1. The panel has industry-leading aesthetics and shade performance, and demonstrates our continued commitment to US manufacturing.”
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Tesla has previously offered solar panels manufactured by Panasonic and later rebranded panels from South Korea’s Hanwha Qcells. Recent updates to Tesla’s website list solar panels rated at 410 watts, closely matching Hanwha’s Q.PEAK DUO ML-G10+ model, though it is not yet clear if this is the same panel being produced at Buffalo. The production restart underscores Tesla’s attempt to revive its solar operations and capitalize on renewed market demand.