Tesla is one of the biggest and most exclusive car companies in the world. Their electric car of the same name has been a game changer for clean and renewable energy. But with the new solar and car bundle they are advertising, you might be able to save a few dollars while still upgrading your car and other electrical appliances.
The current status of the Tesla solar and car bundle is uncertain. It’s rumored to be in the works, but it isn’t available for the public to purchase yet. Regardless, it’s a good idea to know all of the information related to it so you can make the best decision in the future and get the best deal.
The following article includes a more in-depth description of what the bundle is and how it can benefit you in your everyday life.
Bundling Solar Power with EV
Tesla has been attempting to push its way into the electrical provider market, with one of those attempts being this bundle. The bundle includes:
- Tesla Solar panels for your home
- Tesla Powerwall energy storage system
- Tesla Electric Vehicle (or EV) charger
Tesla Solar Panels
Solar panels aren’t just found on clean energy power plants anymore. They can be installed onto the roof of your home for around $15,000 to $25,000. But Tesla solar panels only cost around $3,000 to $10,000 to install.
This decreases the cost of solar panels by about $5,000 to $15,000. With the combined deal of this bundle, you could be saving even more. A few variables such as the size of your roof and how big you want the panels to be influenced the cost, but Tesla is the inexpensive route to take.
Tesla Powerwall System
Next, the Tesla powerwall energy storage system is where you will keep track of all your solar energy. The powerwall system is what transforms the energy from the sun into clean electricity for your home. The system installs directly onto your wall and is more than half the size of regular solar storage systems. It can hold up to 5.0 kilowatts, which is about 13,500 hours of energy.
It also has the ability to store extra energy for days when it isn’t quite as sunny. When there’s more power collected by the solar panels than your home can use in a day, the extra energy is stored in the powerwall system to be used later. When you need some extra power, the powerwall system is ready to go. You don’t have to worry about losing power or not having ever enough again.
The cost of installing the powerwall system is also usually included in the cost for installing solar panels, so it’s highly recommended to improve the usability and longevity of solar panels.
Tesla Electric Vehicle Charger
Finally, the Tesla Electric charger is for charging your Tesla electrically powered car. Tesla and other electric cars can be powered at public charging stations, but the EV charger brings the electricity right to your home. With the combined power of the solar panels and the stored power of the powerwall system, your home is now your personal Tesla charger.
Tesla chargers by themselves usually cost about $700. That does seem like a pretty big price tag upfront, but it is a much smaller price tag when compared to purchasing gas. Say you pay about $30 for gas each week. If you multiply that by is 52 weeks a year, that comes out to more than $1,500.
Most of the products Tesla has to offer have a substantial price tag up front, but they will save you money in the long run. Taking advantage of the bundle will make the energy you use clean and green and keep your wallet feeling clean and green as well.
Is it Better to Rent or Buy?
If you have not quite decided yet, there is the option to rent the Tesla solar panels. You can only rent the solar panels, but how well they work might give you an idea of how well the other products of the bundle will work.
You can choose from four different sized systems. They include:
- The smallest system, at 4.08 kilowatts
- The medium system, at 8.16 kilowatts
- The large system, at 12.24 kilowatts
- The extra-large system, at 16.32 kilowatts
The sizes of the systems are designed to provide only as much power as your home needs. For example, if your home is smaller, getting a smaller sized system is the best decision. The monthly rental fee you pay also depends on how big the system is and the area you live in.
The average rates for the systems, by size, include:
- $50 to $65 for the small system
- $100 to $130 for the medium system
- $150 to $195 for the large system
- $200 to $260 for the extra large system
The main thing that separates renting the solar system from buying it is that there is no term contract. If you decide you don’t like the solar panels, you can cancel your rental subscription at no cost and leave the panels on your roof without consequence. If you want to take the panels off, Tesla will remove them for a fee of $2,500.
If you do decide that you love the panels, you have the option to purchase them once they are on your roof for five years. Since the bundle isn’t available to the public yet, Tesla hasn’t provided solid numbers for how much it would be to buy the system after the rental period.
But unfortunately, there are some disadvantages to the Tesla rental program. The main disadvantage is that it isn’t widely available. The only states that have the option to rent Tesla solar powers are:
- California
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Mexico
- Arizona
- New Jersey
Even if you’re in a state that offers the program, only citizens that receive service from certain utility companies can rent Tesla solar panels. The bars to renting Tesla solar panels are thick, but it’s a risk that can be worth taking to have cleaner power for less money in the long run.
If you would rather buy the solar panels right out of the gate, there isn’t much else to the process. You pay for them, Tesla installs them, and you now have green and clean energy. If you plan to have solar panels on your house for the long term, then buying them right off the bat is the best option.
Although renting them is a better short-term option, it isn’t the best way to save money when going solar. While Tesla solar panels are less expensive than most other companies, the combined cost of renting them for five years, then either buying them or getting them taken off, can reach thousands of dollars.
Final Thoughts
Tesla has been a top-rated car company for quite some time, providing electric cars that get power from being charged rather than having gas constantly pumped into them. Their burgeoning into the clean and green electric power industry can change the future of how we get our energy.
The bundle that Tesla has proposed can not only give you a better source of energy but save you money as well. Tesla solar panels aren’t the cheapest thing on the planet, but they are less expensive than the typical solar power system. Getting the power wall control system and electric vehicle charger just makes it easier to make your home go completely green.