Wondering About Available Tesla Roof Colors? Read This First


Wondering About Available Tesla Roof Colors? Read This First

Tesla roofs are a great innovation that provides renewable energy and durable roof material, but the simple shiny black roof can be a bit dull. Does the Tesla Roof come in any other colors?

In addition to blue, dark blue, and black, Tesla roofs now come in a variety of new styles:

  • Tuscan mimics a traditional ceramic roof tile
  • Smooth glass is the natural solar panel black
  • Textured glass looks like black wood shingles
  • Slate alternates gray and white in an elegant fashion

So, if you’re looking for other colors than the three natural solar cell colors, the wait is over. Continue reading as we discuss the pros and cons of each style, what they look like, and other aesthetic considerations about the Tesla Roof.

Available Tesla Roof Colors

Tesla’s solar roof is a fantastic addition to your home, giving you a source of independent, renewable, and, more importantly, reliable solar energy. But for the first year of its existence, it’s been available in only three colors blue, dark blue, and black.

While those colors are by no means hideous, they can feel a bit plain.The lack of options was disappointing for some.

This was a problem that Elon Musk pointed out very early and announced plans to address the issue by the end of the following year, which he managed to do, despite having to create a whole new process of coloring solar tiles.

The Ultimate Tesla Roof Styles Guide

At the current moment, Tesla has come out with four new styles for their Solar Roof:

  • Smooth glass is the plain black roofs that characterized the first year of their existence. While they are just plain black roofs, they still have a good look to them and will definitely stand out in your neighborhood.
  • Textured glass looks very similar to wood tab shingle but still comes in the natural solar panel black color, without the shine to it.
  • Slate glass takes on the look of dimensional shingles and comes in an alternating grey-white pattern.
  • Tuscan glass takes its inspiration from the Spanish style clay roofs. The resemblance is uncanny to the real thing.

Each of these new styles and colors is beautifully crafted and will bring more than just a little style to your home; they’ll also supply you with reliable, renewable solar energy.

Does the Color Interfere with The Power Absorption

One of the major reasons that Tesla’s roofs didn’t roll out on the first day with colors and textures is that the conventional way of coloring color panels drastically reduces their efficiency.

So, instead of doing things the way everyone else was, Tesla decided that they could invent a better way, and they did just that. In fact, they announced the solar roof on the same day they filed for a patent of the new process.

The process is called “Uniform and Directionally Colored Photovoltaic Modules” and is the reason why you can get a solar roof in the different styles without the power loss. Before Tesla’s new innovation, you had to choose between an efficient solar panel that works well or take the power loss and have one that is more pleasant to look at aesthetically.

The conventional way of coloring solar panels was to cover them in tinted glass completely. While some companies used pixels to allow more light to pass through to the cells, it still led to a less efficient solar panel.

You can’t just slap a piece of colored glass over the tiles and expect to get the results you want. The conventional method of giving color to solar panels has some significant drawbacks; namely, the glass will absorb a substantial amount of energy, making the solar panels much less effective.

What Tesla has done to deal with coloring its solar panels is to use a textured glass that utilizes a filter and a clear material with a predetermined refractive index. This system allows more light to get to the solar cells and, in turn, will enable the roof to operate efficiently despite the coloring and texturing.

With this new system, you can have your cake and eat it too. The new method of coloring allows you to enjoy a great source of renewable energy, all the while having a good looking roof.

How Do Tesla Roof Tiles Compare to A Traditional Roof

The look of the new styles is gorgeous from close up or far away. They are also extremely well crafted and look virtually identical to their single counterparts. Tesla’s solar roof really blows away shingle roofs—and produces clean energy at the same time.

That’s because Tesla makes its roofs with tempered glass, which is highly durable and resists weather over time. They also come with a thirty-year warranty, and on top of that, they are extremely weather-resistant and can withstand winds up to 166 mph (a category five hurricane)!

When compared to other roofs, Tesla has really outdone themselves. They have created a roof that not only can provide your home with a sustainable source of energy, but it’s also more durable, has a longer life span, and with the new colors, looks absolutely great.

Does the Tesla Solar Roof Appear Shiny?

Tesla solar tiles do still have a little shine to them, but nothing overwhelming. In fact, from a distance, you can’t even tell that it’s not a typical roof.

You also don’t have to worry about your roof blinding the neighbors. While the solar tiles do have a little gloss to them, you won’t be shooting sun rays all over the neighborhood—at least not more than your average solar panels!

Remember, the purpose of the solar panels is to capture sunlight, so reflecting most of it away would just be counterproductive! Your solar roof won’t reflect much more light than any other roof.

Does the Tesla Solar Roof Get Dirty Over Time?

Tesla roofs will collect dirt, dust, and grime over time and could decrease the effectiveness of your solar roof by three to five percent. Luckily maintenance of the roofs isn’t that complex or costly.

How Can I Clean My Solar Roof to Make It Look Good Again?

There’s no need to hire a professional or get some special equipment. The process is simple, not much different than washing your car. You’ll want to clean your roof a least two times a year to prevent efficiency loss.

What you need to clean your solar roof:

  • A bucket
  • A garden hose
  • Microfiber cloth or Non-Abrasive cloth
  • A ladder

Here’s how to clean your solar roof:

  • Place your ladder at a 45-degree angle firmly against the roof. You can tell the right angle by placing your toes at the feet of the ladder and reaching out straight in front of you. Your arms should be fully extended, and your fingertips should touch the ladder.
  • Carefully carry each of your tools to the roof one-by-one or have someone hand them to you. When placing them on the roof, make sure to set them down easy as not to scratch the roof.
  • Start by rinsing the roof off with the garden hose to remove all the dust and debris. If you skip this step, there is a chance that the dust particles could scratch the panels.
  • You’re going to want to stay away from pressure washers as not to damage the roof.
  • Once you’ve raised it, thoroughly wash each solar tile with your non-abrasive cloth. Make sure to use a gentle soap like dishwashing detergent and don’t use heavy chemicals.
  • Rinse it one last time, and you’re done!

It’s as simple as that. Regular cleaning, at least once a year (but two or three is better) will ensure your roof is producing the maximum amount of energy it can.

Does Tesla Offer Discounts on Solar Roof?

Tesla solar is already the lowest cost-per-watt solar on the market, but are there any other ways to save money when ordering?

In short, the only way to get a discount on Tesla solar products is by using an existing Tesla owners “referral link” when ordering.

Tesla has did this same “referral program” concept with it’s vehicles and essentially it allows new customers to get a discount on their purchase by using an existing customers personal referral link.

In regards to Tesla solar discounts, using a Tesla referral link when ordering will save you $300 off solar panels or $500 off solar roof.

The referral discounts are typically only available for a limited time before Tesla stops offering the discount, so take advantage of the savings while you can.

tesla solar panel discount

Solar Discounts:

Greg

The articles here on ThatTeslaChannel.com are created by Greg, a Tesla vehicle and Tesla solar expert with nearly half a decade of hands-on experience. The information on this site is fact-checked and tested in-person to ensure the best possible level of accuracy.

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