Tesla Solar Roof is discontinued: what Illinois homeowners can do instead

No. Electrek reported on August 20, 2026 that Tesla told its certified installers Solar Roof tiles are no longer available to order and that it will supply only conventional solar panels, and Tesla's Solar Roof web page now points to its solar panels. Tesla hadn't made a formal announcement at the time.

The product never reached the scale Tesla promised. Wood Mackenzie data cited by Electrek counted about 3,000 Solar Roof systems in the U.S. over roughly seven years, against Elon Musk's goal of 1,000 installs a week.

A solar roof replaces the whole roof, and every tile has to be fitted, wired and flashed, so labor runs far higher than mounting panels on rails. In 2021 Tesla added a roof complexity charge that raised prices by 30% to 150%, including on contracts customers had already signed; it later settled the class action over those increases for $6.08 million.

SolarReviews estimated Tesla Solar Roof at roughly five times the per-watt cost of conventional panels in 2025, though that price included a whole new roof. Solar shingles also make less power per square foot than panels, so you need more roof area for the same output.

Even a new shingle roof plus panels usually comes in well below what solar roofs cost per watt. Try our solar savings calculator for your own bill, and see how much solar costs in Illinois.

• A new roof, then panels. If your roof has fewer than about 10 years left, replace it first so the panels don't have to come off later. See should you replace your roof before solar?
• Low-profile, all-black panels. Many homeowners who wanted a solar roof for the look choose black-frame, black-backsheet panels mounted close to the roof. See premium solar panels.
• Other solar shingles. GAF Energy still sells Timberline Solar shingles in select markets after closing its California factory in December 2025 and consolidating production in Texas. Ask local roofers whether it's offered in your area before counting on it.
• Panels on a garage, back slope or the ground if you'd rather keep them off the front of the house. See solar on a detached garage or barn.

Keep your warranty paperwork and monitoring login handy. Reports since the shutdown say Tesla will honor existing warranties and supply replacement parts, but get any repair commitment in writing and note which certified installer did your roof.

You can still add a home battery: Tesla continues to sell Powerwall, and ComEd and Ameren pay about $300 per kWh of battery capacity if you enroll in the utility's virtual power plant. See what a home battery costs in Illinois.

1. 1

   How much life does my roof have left?

   Ask for an honest roof assessment and photos before any solar quote.

2. 2

   Can you quote black, low-profile panels?

   Ask to see the look on a similar home.

3. 3

   What would a reroof plus solar cost together?

   Bundling the jobs means one round of permits and no removal fee later.

4. 4

   Do you offer a battery?

   Ask about the virtual power plant rebate and backup options.

Check any quote with our solar quote checker.