AI illustration: Year of the solar roof 2019
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Missed

Tesla Solar Roof cost and every Solar Roof promise

What did Elon Musk promise about the Tesla Solar Roof?

On March 14, 2019, Elon Musk predicted the Tesla Solar Roof by the end of 2019. The deadline passed and it didn't happen. Verdict as of November 5, 2026: missed. twoweeks.lol tracks 4 Musk claims about the Tesla Solar Roof (4 statements): 4 missed or cancelled.

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“This is definitely going to be the year of the solar roof and PowerWall.”
— Elon Musk · Mar 14, 2019 · Model Y Unveil, Mar 14 2019 (Tesla official, YouTube) 19:20 ↗
Video: Model Y Unveil, Mar 14 2019 (Tesla official, YouTube)
▶ WATCH HIM SAY IT @ 19:20 — MODEL Y UNVEIL, MAR 14 2019 (TESLA OFFICIAL, YOUTUBE)
What actually happened

Musk called 2019 'the year of the solar roof' at the Mar 14 2019 Model Y unveil. It was not — installations were minimal (estimated under ~1,000 total integrated solar roofs by 2021), and Tesla badly missed its 1,000-per-week install target. Tesla then discontinued Solar Roof in August 2026 (site redirects to panels; installers told new tile orders are closed). The 2019 year claim stays missed. TechCrunch Aug 21 2026 — Solar Roof discontinued; 2019 'year of the roof' already missed ↗

The Progression

At the 2016 unveil Musk said a Solar Roof would cost less than a normal roof. In 2017 he said Spanish tile and French slate styles would be in production by early 2018. In March 2019 he called 2019 "the year of the solar roof," and in July 2019 he hoped to make about 1,000 roofs a week by the end of the year.

None of it happened. Only the flat glass tile shipped, installs stayed far below 1,000 a week, and a Solar Roof costs roughly $50 to $63 a square foot, far more than a normal roof. Tesla discontinued Solar Roof in August 2026.

Mar 14, 2019
The promise: “This is definitely going to be the year of the solar roof and PowerWall.” · Model Y Unveil, Mar 14 2019 (Tesla official, YouTube) 19:20 ↗
Dec 31, 2019
Deadline passed. Musk called 2019 'the year of the solar roof' at the Mar 14 2019 Model Y unveil. It was not — installations were minimal (estimated under ~1,000 total integrated solar roofs by 2021), and Tesla badly missed its 1,000-per-week install target. Tesla then discontinued Solar Roof in August 2026 (site redirects to panels; installers told new tile orders are closed). The 2019 year claim stays missed. TechCrunch Aug 21 2026 — Solar Roof discontinued; 2019 'year of the roof' already missed ↗
Today · Nov 5, 2026
Status: Missed · 2,501 days past due. Never happened.

At the Model Y unveiling in March 2019, Musk declared that 2019 was 'definitely going to be the year of the solar roof and PowerWall.' The statement promised a breakout year for Tesla's residential energy products. Instead, the year closed with only limited solar roof installations, and the prediction was missed.

Every statement, dated

4 STATEMENTS · AS OF NOVEMBER 5, 2026
Every statement Elon Musk made on the Tesla Solar Roof, oldest first. Outcome is how each statement was graded on its own.
Date saidWhat he saidDeadline givenSourceOutcome
“It's looking quite promising that a solar roof will actually cost less than a normal roof before you even take the value of electricity into account.”none givenElon Musk Unveils New Solar…Cancelled · shelved
“And then hopefully by early next year we'll be in production with the Spanish tile and the French slate versions.”Mar 31, 2018Tesla Shareholder Meeting (June…Cancelled · shelved
“This is definitely going to be the year of the solar roof and PowerWall.”end of 2019Model Y Unveil, Mar 14 2019…Missed · 2,501 days past due
“Spooling up production line rapidly. Hoping to manufacture ~1000 solar roofs/week by end of this year.”Apr 29, 2021@elonmusk on X, Jul 29 2019 (US…Cancelled · shelved

Every other Solar Roof promise

3 MORE CLAIMS ON THIS PAGE
Cancelledshelved

Solar roof will cost less than a normal roof (2016)

“It's looking quite promising that a solar roof will actually cost less than a normal roof before you even take the value of electricity into account.”
Elon Musk · said Nov 17, 2016 · Elon Musk Unveils New Solar Roof, Powerwall 2 & Powerpack 2 — recording of the Oct 28 2016 solar roof unveil at Universal Studios (uploaded same day) ↗ · #139

What happened: Musk said a solar roof would cost less than a normal roof even before electricity savings. It never did: installed Solar Roofs ran roughly $50–$63 per square foot, far more than a conventional roof or a new roof plus panels. In August 2026 Tesla discontinued Solar Roof — new tile orders closed, tesla.com/solarroof redirects to conventional panels, and the product is gone from the Energy menu. The cost-parity goal is abandoned. Cancelled, not missed-and-counting. Electrek Aug 20 2026 — Tesla discontinues Solar Roof tiles; not economically viable ↗

Cancelledshelved

Solar Roof Spanish tile and French slate in production by early 2018

“And then hopefully by early next year we'll be in production with the Spanish tile and the French slate versions.”
Elon Musk · said Jun 6, 2017 · due Mar 31, 2018 · Tesla Shareholder Meeting (June 6, 2017), video, ~00:06:36 ↗ · #380

What happened: Tesla never brought the Tuscan/Spanish tile or French slate Solar Roof styles to production; the product shipped only as a single flat glass tile. In August 2026 Tesla discontinued Solar Roof entirely: tesla.com/solarroof now redirects to solar panels, the product is gone from the Energy menu, and installers were told new tile orders are closed. The styles will not ship. Cancelled, not missed-and-counting. TechCrunch Aug 21 2026 — Tesla sunsets Solar Roof; site redirects to panels ↗

Cancelledshelved

1,000 Solar Roofs a week by end of 2019

“Spooling up production line rapidly. Hoping to manufacture ~1000 solar roofs/week by end of this year.”
Elon Musk · said Jul 30, 2019 · due Apr 29, 2021 · @elonmusk on X, Jul 29 2019 (US time) ↗ · #287
2 deadlines for one promise, moved 1 time. 2 have passed.
said 2019todayDate 1 of 2: end of 2019 · deadline passedDate 2 of 2: ~Apr 2021 (Q1 2020 call: 'within the next year or maybe even by end of year') · never happened
goalposts: end of 2019 → ~Apr 2021 (Q1 2020 call: 'within the next year or maybe even by end of year') · moved 1×
Embed this chart<iframe src="https://twoweeks.lol/embed/goalposts/solar-roof-1000-per-week-end-2019/" width="100%" height="230" style="border:0;max-width:720px" title="1,000 Solar Roofs a week by end of 2019: every deadline Elon Musk gave" loading="lazy"></iframe> <p style="font-size:12px">Source: <a href="https://twoweeks.lol/predictions/year-of-the-solar-roof-2019/#solar-roof-1000-per-week-end-2019">twoweeks.lol</a> Elon Musk prediction tracker</p>

What happened: Musk hoped for about 1,000 Solar Roofs a week by end of 2019 (later restated toward 2021). Wood Mackenzie estimated Tesla installed only about 21 a week even in 2022, peaking around 3,000 US systems in seven years. In August 2026 Tesla discontinued Solar Roof: new tile orders closed, tesla.com/solarroof redirects to conventional panels. The 1,000-a-week goal is abandoned. Cancelled, not missed-and-counting. Electrek Aug 20 2026 — Tesla discontinues Solar Roof tiles; not economically viable ↗

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LAST CHECKED 2026-10-23

Questions and answers

Was 2019 the year of the Solar Roof?

No. Elon Musk's promise of the Tesla Solar Roof did not come true; the deadline of end of 2019 passed without it. Musk called 2019 'the year of the solar roof' at the Mar 14 2019 Model Y unveil. It was not — installations were minimal (estimated under ~1,000 total integrated solar roofs by 2021), and Tesla badly missed its 1,000-per-week install target. Tesla then… (TechCrunch Aug 21 2026 — Solar Roof discontinued; 2019 'year of the roof' already missed)

When did Elon Musk make the Solar Roof promise?

On March 14, 2019, Elon Musk said: “This is definitely going to be the year of the solar roof and PowerWall.” (source). That set the date at end of 2019.

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Tesla’s record

Delivered
86
63% of resolved claims delivered.
Missed
51
Deadline passed, still no-show.
Still open
36
On the clock now. All 173 Tesla claims →

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