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Tesla Model 3 Buyers In China Can Rejoice Thanks To Sales Tax Exemption

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Published on August 31st, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Tesla Model 3 Buyers In China Can Rejoice Thanks To Sales Tax Exemption

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August 31st, 2019 by Steve Hanley

No one knows what is going to happen with the “easy to win” tariff war initiated by America’s putative president over a year ago, least of all him. What we do know, however, is that China has agreed to grant all Tesla vehicles an exemption from the 10% purchase tax that all new car buyers normally pay.

According to Reuters, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced the exemption on August 30. The change marks an important concession amidst trade tensions with the United States. On average, the exemption will lower the cost of buying a new Tesla by 99,000 yuan, or about $13,957, according to a post on Tesla’s social media WeChat account.

All 16 variants of the Tesla Model S, Model X, and Model 3 offered for sale to Chinese customers are listed in a document detailing the exemption on the MIIT website. No reason was given for the decision to exclude the cars from the tax, but it does come at a time when Tesla is expanding in China by building a new factory in the Free Trade Zone outside Shanghai.

Leading up to the start of production at that factory, Elon Musk has visited China several times. He has publicly praised China in the midst of tensions with the United States and thanked the Shanghai and national governments for their support.

Musk has met with senior leaders, including China’s Vice President Wang Qishan and the transportation minister. He has called national leaders “very thoughtful” and alluded to China’s “amazing” progress in sustainable energy, transport, and space exploration. “This year they did more orbital launches than the USA for the first time,” Musk tweeted last December.

Craig Irwin, an analyst for Roth Capital, tells Reuters, “It is pretty clear Tesla is committed to China, with the investment in the Shanghai Gigafactory. Those relationships probably helped Tesla lobby for a successful exemption from the tax. Now we need to closely watch the build out of the Shanghai Gigafactory and Model 3 volume ramp in China.”

While Tesla does not disclose sales by country, consulting firm LMC Automotive estimates the company sold 23,678 cars in China in the first seven months of this year, which is nearly double the number it sold in 2018.

Also on Friday, Tesla announced it is raising the price of the cars it sells in China by 2% to offset the weakening of the yuan in recent weeks. The long range dual motor Model 3 is now 439,900 yuan ($61,467), up from 429,900 yuan ($60,070) previously. But the net effect is that, after the purchase tax exemption, Tesla will cost a Chinese customer considerably less to buy this week than it did last week. Tesla stock was up 4% following the exemption announcement.

Tesla is clearly betting heavily on China, which only makes sense since its new car market is the largest in the world and its electric car market accounts for approximately half of global electric car sales. It’s true that sales are not quite as robust this year as they have been in previous years, but there will still be more than 22 million new cars sold in China this year, even in a down market, with perhaps 8% of those being plug-in car sales.

With its close ties to the national and local governments, Tesla should be well positioned to sell as many cars in China as it can manufacture. We’ll keep you informed via our regular China EV sales reports.

About the Author

Steve Hanley Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island and anywhere else the Singularity may lead him. His motto is, “Life is not measured by how many breaths we take but by the number of moments that take our breath away!” You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.

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Walmart Sues Tesla Over Rooftop Solar Fires

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Published on August 22nd, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Walmart Sues Tesla Over Rooftop Solar Fires

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August 22nd, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Update: This story may not be as straightforward as initially presented:

We’ve reached out to Tesla to ask for further commentary.

Another update (full linked document also available here):

As a 3rd update, read our new piece on this story, which is basically Part 1 of this subject: What’s The Real Reason Walmart Is Suing Tesla?

Back in 2010, Walmart was one of the first major companies to get involved with the solar power revolution. It teamed up with SolarCity, the rooftop solar company started by Elon Musk’s cousins Lyndon Rive and Peter Rive, to install rooftop solar arrays on 224 of its stores.

To date, seven of those rooftop installations have caught fire, causing millions of dollars in structural damage and lost sales. Unable to resolve their differences, Walmart has now sued Tesla, claiming the company, which purchased SolarCity in 2016, has been guilty of a long list of failings ranging from negligence to incompetence to mopery on the high seas.

Image courtesy SEIA/Solar Means Business report

The SolarCity Mess
We are accustomed to thinking of Tesla as a well managed company with a clear road map to the future in place. Yet it has floundered repeatedly with the solar end of things since acquiring SolarCity, a decision many analysts said at the time was little more than a bailout for a pair of cousins whose company was about to sail over the brink of viability into the ignominy of bankruptcy.

According to a reporter at Business Insider who has a long history of negative Tesla stories, the complaint by Walmart says Tesla has no explanation why the rooftop systems caught fire, adding that Tesla had no accurate drawings of the solar panels, no procedures in place to deal with the issue, and no employees trained in how to inspect or fix them. In fact, its own employees had to show Tesla employees where there were cracks and temperature issues involving the solar panels.

Tesla says its inspections found 157 areas that need repair or replacement at all 224 stores. Walmart claims the total number of defects is far higher. “On information and belief, the actual conditions are worse than as documented by Tesla, based on Tesla’s history of deficient and incompetent inspections, including Tesla’s reliance on untrained, unqualified, and unsupervised personnel to install and maintain the systems,” Walmart said in its court filing.

According to CNBC, Walmart alleges in its claim that Tesla bought SolarCity to “bail out the flailing company” and mentions SolarCity 46 times throughout the lawsuit. The complaint further alleges that SolarCity created a culture that tolerated defects because of its desperate need to keep cash coming in the door and that Tesla has failed to address that issue.

Lastly, it also accuses Tesla of filing reports that said it had made repairs to Walmart’s roofs when it had not. As part of the relief sought, Walmart is seeking to terminate its solar roof contract with Tesla and force Tesla to remove all the rooftop systems it has installed on the roof of Walmart stores.

Were Investors Told?
The suit raises a lot of “he said, they said” issues that will get thoroughly hashed out in court. But the most important threat to the company comes from what Tesla may or may not have told its investors — both stockholders and bondholders — about its financial exposure as a result of the Walmart situation. Business Insider asks a number of cogent questions:

Did Tesla ever disclose the loss of Walmart’s business to shareholders?
Did Tesla ever disclose the loss of Walmart’s business to SolarCity bondholders?
Is Tesla concerned about possible class actions related to SolarCity roofs now?
Does Tesla have insurance that would cover a lawsuit like that?
Have other customers (homeowners or businesses) experienced fires like this?

CleanTechnica is often accused of being a Tesla fanboy site. It’s true that we do write a lot of articles that are laudatory of the company and its chief executive. Yet, it’s possible our hero has the proverbial feet of clay. He does have a penchant for over-promising and under-delivering, for moving fast even when yellow caution lights are flashing.

Confusion Abounds
Plenty of outside observers have suggested Elon Musk bullied the board of directors for both Tesla and SolarCity to approve a merger without completing the due diligence such a decision required. Since the merger, Tesla has altered its solar business model multiple times, first dismantling the door-to-door sales model SolarCity followed, then announcing a major link-up with Home Depot that was quickly cancelled, and also rolling out a splashy reveal of the Tesla Solar Roof nearly two years ago.

In the meantime, Gigafactory 2, the Tesla solar factory in Buffalo, New York, seems to be drifting along and doesn’t get the attention, fanfare, or revolutionary output figures many expected. Even deliveries of the company’s Powerwall residential home battery are way behind schedule. But for the company’s success in utility-scale battery storage, the SolarCity piece of the Tesla puzzle seems to be running poorly and is a huge hit to Musk’s aura of invincibility.

It’s not hard to argue that Tesla could have pursued its energy storage ambitions without taking on the debts of SolarCity. The latest debacle with Walmart could be a serious black eye for the company, one that could cause a loss of confidence in Tesla and its leadership at a critical time for the company.

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Tesla Scouting New Factory Locations In Germany

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Published on August 26th, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Tesla Scouting New Factory Locations In Germany

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August 26th, 2019 by Steve Hanley

German newspaper Rheinische Post reported on August 25 that representatives from Tesla have been scouting locations for a possible European factory in the state of North Rhine–Westphalia, which is located in western Germany and shares a border with the Netherlands and Belgium. NRW is that nation’s most populous state and home to three of its major cities — Düsseldorf, Köln, and Bonn. An extensive network of roads and railways connect the region to the rest of Europe.

Screenshot from Google Maps.

Unnamed officials of NRW say initial inspections have already taken place. Although, precisely where in the state is not known. Representatives of the government and of Tesla have declined to elaborate further on the subject.

Just north of NRW is the state of Lower Saxony, which also shares a border with the Netherlands and is a little bit closer to the Scandinavian countries which — particularly in Norway — have embraced the transition to electric cars.

The newspaper also quotes Bernd Althusmann, economics minister for Lower Saxony, as saying Tesla has expressed an interest in his state as well, particularly the port city of Emden and the area known as Emsland. More than a year ago, Elon Musk tweeted the Germany was a strong contender for Tesla’s first European factory.

With Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai on pace to begin building cars before the end of this year, it makes sense for Tesla to turn its attention to Europe. Several European cities, provinces, and countries have been vying for Musk’s attention for years, including Spain, France, Sweden, Poland, Belgium, and more. The cost of shipping cars from California to European destinations must be quite high, and not all of that cost can be passed on to consumers.

Europe is also experiencing a surge in new battery factory construction. Tesla is planning to utilize battery cells made by LG Chem in Nanjing for its Chinese vehicles, so it is logical to assume it would consider using cells made by an outside supplier for any European-built cars.

It will be interesting to find out where Tesla ultimately decides to build its first European factory and why. But no matter the location, the company is clearly not worried about finding enough customers for its cars. Lack of demand? Forgetaboutit!

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The Tesla/Walmart Rooftop Solar Fire Spat — Part Deux, & Enter Amazon

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Published on August 26th, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

The Tesla/Walmart Rooftop Solar Fire Spat — Part Deux, & Enter Amazon

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August 26th, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Last week, we ran two stories about a dispute between Tesla and Walmart over fires that have occurred on the roofs of Walmart stores with Tesla rooftop solar systems. For our trouble, we were accused of being Tesla lovers, Tesla haters, and possibly accomplices to the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo.

The story behind the story has turned into a massive public relations disaster, not only for the two companies but for the broader clean energy revolution. There’s nothing the fossil fuel industry likes better than being able to point and say, “See? Those newfangled solar panels are a threat to society and should be banned!”

Apparently, the glare of the media spotlight got a little too intense for both companies. A few days after the flareup between them began, they issued a joint statement meant to bridge the troubled waters their dispute has created. Here is the statement in its entirety as supplied to CleanTechnica by a spokesperson for Tesla.

“Walmart and Tesla look forward to addressing all issues and re-energizing Tesla solar installations at Walmart stores, once all parties are certain that all concerns have been addressed. Together, we look forward to pursuing our mutual goal of a sustainable energy future. Above all else, both companies want each and every system to operate reliably, efficiently, and safely.”

Walmart’s suit is still pending in New York state court according to Tech Crunch, but the parties have decided to lower the temperature of their rhetoric in order to create an atmosphere where reasonable discourse may have a chance to take place.

So, Is This Over?
Not Quite
Now Amazon has stepped into the fray, telling Bloomberg that its warehouse in Redlands, California, also experienced a fire on a roof where a SolarCity/Tesla solar system was installed. Gizmodo reached out to Tesla about the Amazon claim and got this response from a spokesperson:

“All 11 Amazon sites with solar from Tesla are generating energy and are proactively monitored and maintained. Last year, there was an isolated event that occurred in an inverter at one of the Amazon sites. Tesla worked collaboratively with Amazon to root cause the event and remediate. We also performed inspections at the other sites, which confirmed the integrity of the systems. As with all of our commercial solar installations, we continue to proactively monitor the systems to ensure they operate safely and reliably.”

That statement is all well and good, but Amazon tells Bloomberg it currently has zero plans to install any more Tesla systems at its facilities. It may add more rooftop systems, but they won’t be from Tesla — as things stand now.

Say what you will, Tesla’s solar panel business is facing some troubles, and Amazon was more than willing to pile on the bad news. In my opinion, it all makes Tesla’s the decision to purchase SolarCity in the first place seem unwise, at least in retrospect.

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Tesla Will Obtain Battery Cells From LG Chem For Chinese Model 3 Production

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Published on August 23rd, 2019 |

by Steve Hanley

Tesla Will Obtain Battery Cells From LG Chem For Chinese Model 3 Production

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August 23rd, 2019 by Steve Hanley

Tesla has said all along it will work with multiple battery suppliers for the electric cars it manufactures in China, beginning with the Model 3 later this year and including the Model Y later. Both cars will use advanced 2170 cells like the ones manufactured for Tesla by Panasonic at Gigafactory 1 in Nevada.

According to Bloomberg, Tesla has agreed to source at least some of those battery cells from LG Chem. The Korean company will manufacture the cells at its production facility in Nanjing, about 200 miles west of Shanghai where Tesla’s new Gigafactory 3 is under construction. Although work on the new factory was not begun until January 3, Tesla expects Model 3 production to begin there before the end of this year.

Bloomberg adds that Tesla is still in talks with CATL. Anonymous sources say the two companies are discussing technical specifications and that LG Chem was more flexible in meeting Tesla’s technology requirements. There are also rumors that Panasonic may be in the mix somewhere down the road. Representatives for Tesla, LG Chem, and CATL all declined to speak on the record with Bloomberg. LG Chem is now the world’s second largest manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries and intent on further increasing its market share.

Politics & Production
Tesla is wise not to put all its battery eggs in one basket in China, where politics have an outsized impact on commerce. Two years ago, China refused to allow Hyundai and Kia to import any cars with batteries made by LG Chem in South Korea, according to Business Korea. It was only after the companies agreed to power their electric cars with battery cells manufactured by CATL that the ban was lifted, according to the report.

Because of the need to switch suppliers, the Hyundai Kona Electric is only now becoming available in China. And the move by Chinese authorities was no doubt instrumental in LG Chem’s decision to build a battery factory in China.

Why would authorities slap Hyundai and Kia around while smiling benevolently on Tesla? President Xi Jinping does not return our phone calls, so we can’t be sure, but clearly Tesla enjoys some special status with the Chinese government. For whatever reasons, no other foreign manufacturer seems to enjoy such a close relationship.

The Trouble With Tariffs
As Donald Trump and Xi Jinping play “mine’s bigger than yours” in their ongoing tariff fight, China announced today it will reimpose a 25% tariff on cars imported from the US on December 15. According to CNBC, the new tariffs will impact Mercedes and BMW the most. Both German companies export US-made cars to China. Ford will also suffer, as will Tesla with regard to its Model S and Model X vehicles, which are manufactured exclusively at the factory in Fremont, California.

In response, the unstable lunatic in Washington, DC, sent the stock market into a selling panic by tweeting an “order” for all US companies to cease doing business in China forthwith. The Dow shed 600 points as soon as the tweet appeared.

The question now for Tesla is how will the new tariffs affect the cars built in the Chinese factory in Shanghai beginning later this year? According to CNET Road Show, the first cars will be knockdown kits made in Fremont and shipped to Shanghai for final assembly. Tesla does something similar with its factory in Tilburg in the Netherlands.

No one knows the answer to that question at the moment. Is a knockdown kit assembled in Shanghai subject to the new tariff? It’s simply too early to answer that question authoritatively. Given Tesla’s special relationship with the Chinese government, we can only hope the cars exiting Gigafactory 3 will be exempt from the new tariff. It is to be hoped the business community will give the puling potentate of Pennsylvania Avenue the fickle finger of fate and ignore his insane order completely.

What Do We Know?
We know that Model 3 cars will begin rolling out the door at Gigafactory 3 before the end of this year, God willing and the creek don’t rise, and that those cars will have battery cells manufactured in Nanjing by LG Chem. We know that battery cells from CATL or Panasonic might be used in locally produced Model 3s and upcoming Model Ys at some point in the future. And we know that the tariff situation is a muddled mess at the moment. When we know more, you’ll know more.

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Sandy Munro States Tesla Has A 10-Year Lead Over US Automakers

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Published on August 21st, 2019 |

by Kurt Lowder

Sandy Munro States Tesla Has A 10-Year Lead Over US Automakers

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August 21st, 2019 by Kurt Lowder

Get your popcorn and snacks ready! Sandy Munro has another hour-long interview about the ongoing transition to electric vehicles. There is always so much packed into these videos. Munro just has a knack for cutting right to the chase and explaining engineering, manufacturing, and business to the layperson. In the interview, Munro is joined by Mark Ellis, who is a Senior Associate at Munro and Associates.

The interview was conducted by Sean Mitchell of allthingsev.info. Congrats to Sean for landing this huge interview. Sean occasionally collaborates with a few of our other favorite YouTubers, a platform which has become increasingly useful for getting important information to the public. (Although, it does come amid a lot of noise, but I digress.)

Sean took care to timestamp the video, which is really helpful if you want to watch the video in segments. At the 5:13 mark, Sean asked what traditional manufacturers are doing right. At first, Munro hesitated and passed the buck to Sean. Sean explained that US auto manufacturers are just outsourcing everything important with perhaps the exception of FCA. FCA has been late to the game but appears to earnestly be trying to play catchup.

After collecting his thoughts, Munro interjects and just blatantly states, “you know, really and truly, all the domestics are way behind!” For emphasis, Mark Ellis echos, “WAY BEHIND.” Bear in mind, these gentlemen have extensive experience in the industry and have broken down and analyzed many EVs. Their consulting business is focused on helping manufacturers to innovate and lower costs.

On more than one occasion, Munro claims the issue with the major automakers is the number of executives with MBAs, who have a tendency to believe in outsourcing as much as possible. Maybe this a key reason why we see so many executives leaving Tesla, because at Tesla they are actually focused on innovation and not just paying some contractor or supplier to do the hard work.

We will have more on this interview in the coming days, but I hope business schools across the country are taking note. Since watching this interview, I find myself constantly thinking about this classic clip from the movie Office Space:

About the Author

Kurt Lowder I am a jock turned wannabe geek. I fell in love with science later in life thanks to the History Channel show the “Universe.” Having taught middle school science, I strongly feel Astronomy should be taught every year because nothing excites students more than learning about the cosmos. I became an avid cleantech fan because it gives me hope about the future. My wife, my dogs, and I live simply because we love to travel the world backpacker style.

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Tesla Slashes Model Y Prices To Reflect Last Few Model 3 Cuts — Detailed Look

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Published on August 17th, 2019 |

by Paul Fosse

Tesla Slashes Model Y Prices To Reflect Last Few Model 3 Cuts — Detailed Look

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August 17th, 2019 by Paul Fosse

From Tesla Design Studio

Tesla had made several pricing changes to the Model 3 since the Model Y was unveiled, and the company hadn’t updated the pricing and configurations in the Model Y Design Studio to reflect that until yesterday. Tesla raised base prices on the Model 3 when it started including Autopilot by default, but more on the low-end models like the Standard Range Plus (SR+).

Tesla then dropped prices on the Model 3 after the tax credit was reduced (again), but more for the high-end models like the Performance and All Wheel Drive. The company changed the color prices to charge $750 for black (which was free) and offer pearl white for free instead (it was previously $1,500).

My Model Y Order from April 2019

My order from April.

I didn’t order the Model Y at the unveiling on March 14th, because I really like my Model 3 and am not “suffering” waiting for the car like I felt I was waiting for the Model 3 (1st world problem to be sure). But when Elon started to talk about the cars being appreciating assets and how he will be raising prices as Tesla releases more Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities, I figured that I should put down a deposit. Since then, the overall prices have gone down, not up, for my fully loaded configuration.

Same configuration today in the Design Studio

Since I happened to order a white car and also ordered the performance model that has gone down the most in the Model 3, that’s a $4,000 drop. This isn’t reflected yet on my Tesla account, but I’m sure they will update it as the car gets closer to delivery.

Price Changes Since Model Y Launch

Original prices from unveiling.

Below, I’ve tried to show how the various models have changed prices since the unveiling and how the prices compare to the Model 3.

You can see all of the Model Y prices went down $2,000 since the unveiling. I can’t make any comparisons of the new Standard Range price because the price is no longer in the design studio. Don’t fear that it has been discontinued, though, it is still mentioned on the first page. Assuming Tesla honors the $39,000 price from the unveiling, it will be only $10 more than the Model 3, but it is likely that the Model 3 will change in price many times between now and 2021. I can’t compare the Long Range RWD to the Model 3 because that configuration is no longer available. The AWD Model Y is a reasonable $4,010 more than the Model 3 and the Performance Model Y is $5,010 more than the comparable Model 3. The pricing is reasonable, but not overly aggressive. I think Tesla is anti-selling the Model Y a bit to avoid hurting Model 3 sales.

Toyota Crossover Pricing Comparison

Captured from Cars.com

I’m not planning to do a full comparison of the Model Y to the RAV4 for a while, but I thought I would see how Toyota prices the RAV4 in comparison to Tesla prices. I noticed several differences.

First, Toyota only charges $1,400 extra for all-wheel drive vs $4,000 that Tesla charges. That makes sense because Tesla’s AWD includes the reliability and performance advantages of a second motor taking your 5.5 seconds 0-60 mph time to 4.8 seconds. The RAV4 time is almost double at 8.0 seconds. Even the Highlander with the V6 engine with 45% more horsepower is only a little less slow at 7.2 seconds.

The other difference is Toyota’s crossover is only $1,050 more than a comparable Camry. The Highlander is $9,280 more than the comparable Camry. It isn’t a perfect comparison because the RAV4 at 181 inches is 11 inches shorter than the Camry at 192 inches, while the Highlander in also 192 inches long. I expect the Model Y to be a couple of inches longer (maybe 187) than the Model 3, which is 185 inches long, but it should have comparable room to the Highlander, not the RAV4, since those cars use several inches of length for their gas engines. Tesla is putting a 3rd row option in the car to allow one model to compete with both smaller crossovers like the RAV4 and bigger crossovers like the Highlander.

Conclusion
It’s good that Tesla updated the pricing of the Model Y to be more consistent with the Model 3. I think it gets confusing if they are not fairly comparable. I’m reasonably sure that Tesla is still anti-selling the Model Y to avoid hurting its second half Model 3 sales. An optimistic take on this price adjustment is that Tesla is getting ready to start production early in 2020 and needs to have the prices updated so it can build the configurations with the most demand. I’m confident that the Model Y will have very high demand because of 2 simple facts: First, consumers around the world like crossovers more than sedans. Second, there are no crossovers available today that can match Tesla’s performance until you get to about double Tesla’s cost of ownership (think Porsche Cayenne or Mercedes GLE).

If you plan to get a Tesla with Full Self-Driving, today is a great day to order the Model 3, Model S, or Model X with Full Self-Driving because the price was supposed go up a $1,000 yesterday, but hasn’t yet!

Use my Tesla referral link to get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging on a Tesla Model S, Model X, or Model 3 (you can’t use it on the Model Y yet), here’s the link: https://ts.la/paul92237 (but if someone else helped you, please use their link).

About the Author

Paul Fosse A Software engineer for over 30 years, first developing EDI software, then developing data warehouse systems. Along the way, I've also had the chance to help start a software consulting firm and do portfolio management. In 2010, I took an interest in electric cars because gas was getting expensive. In 2015, I started reading CleanTechnica and took an interest in solar, mainly because it was a threat to my oil and gas investments. Follow me on Twitter @atj721 Tesla investor. Tesla referral code: https://ts.la/paul92237

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An Inside Look At The Components That Go Into A Tesla Solar Roof Installation

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Published on August 8th, 2019 |

by Kyle Field

An Inside Look At The Components That Go Into A Tesla Solar Roof Installation

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August 8th, 2019 by Kyle Field

July ushered in the start of the real action for our Tesla solar roof, as the installation kicked into high gear. The first materials arrived at the house and the team prepared to install the solar roof on our new home. Before we get into the installation, let’s talk about the components that make up of one of Tesla’s solar roofs.

Image credit: Tesla

Many of the components and processes used in installing a Tesla solar roof are from the traditional roofing industry, which makes sense. The solar roof still fundamentally has to perform all of the same functions of a normal dumb roof before its ability to generate power matters. It also includes many of the same components as a traditional bolt-on solar system, with rooftop wiring, inverters, safety devices, and the like.

Underlayment
A Tesla solar roof installation starts with the installation of a waterproof underlayment. Tesla uses Firestone’s CLAD-GARD SA-FR, a standard roofing underlayment for metal roofs. This product provides a waterproof foundation for any roof while also providing a skid-resistant surface for the installers to walk on while installing the more complex parts of the roof. This is the white material in the photo above.

Metal Framing
After the underlayment goes down, Tesla’s crew frames up the roof with metal. A metal trim wraps around the entire roof edge as well as along every peak and valley in the roof structure. In the valleys of the roof, the metalwork provides the drainage for any precipitation and debris. Up at the peaks of the roof, it provides protection, funneling any precipitation onto the tiles or surfaces below, which ultimately escort it off the roof.

Tesla solar roof with copious amounts of metal work framing the roof. Image credit: Kyle Field | CleanTechnica

Tesla makes all of its own metal products for the solar roof, so all of these components are specific to the Tesla solar roof. Word on the street is that these are all currently made in the Bay Area, but that likely won’t be the case as Tesla ramps up production after locking in the design of version 3 of its solar roof tiles.

Roof Tiles
The star of the show in the solar roof install is obviously Tesla’s solar roof tiles. These come in two flavors: 1) tiles with solar cells sandwiched between two pieces of tempered glass that produce power, and 2) glass tiles. Roof tiles with solar cells in them are called PV Tiles and are the fundamental building block of any Tesla solar roof. They arrive on site in pre-wired, pre-mounted bundles of 3 tiles in a row, called PV Modules.

A pallet of Tesla PV Module roof tiles. Image credit: Kyle Field | CleanTechnica

Each PV Tile has a production capacity of just over 8 watts each, translating to 25 watts for a full 3-tile PV Module. Assembling the tiles together into PV Modules at the factory has multiple benefits, with the first and foremost being a reduction in the amount of effort and time that’s required to install a solar roof. This helps Tesla deliver a faster turnaround time, means less time for a customer’s home sitting there without a roof, and keeps labor costs down.

Using PV Modules also reduces the number of on-site wiring connections that need to be made, allowing Tesla to control the quality of more potential points of failure in the roof system at the factory. PV Modules come with the joints between the three tiles pre-sealed, resulting in what is surely a higher quality, more consistent seal that what can be guaranteed with a field installation. Each PV Tile comes with its own set of built-in c-clip mounts and stand-offs that hold the top of the tile off of the roof, transferring any weight from above to the roof surface below while also serving to set the correct angle to allow water to run down the roof.

Tesla calls the non-producing tiles Roofing Tiles, which are simply made from a single sheet of tempered glass. These come from the factory as single tiles as well as bundled into Roofing Modules comprised of 3 glass tiles. Tesla uses these on sections of the roof that are not wide enough for a block of solar tiles and for use along the seams of the roof. To ensure a clean fit at the seams, Tesla’s team simply cuts the tiles to match the angle of the seam they will butt up against.

A cut Roofing Module with mounting bricks in the background. Image credit: Kyle Field | CleanTechnica

Mounting Bricks
Tesla has packed an impressive amount of functionality into each single PV Module, and the mounting bricks are the other half of the system that makes it easy for Tesla’s installer to secure the PV and Roofing Modules to the roof. Tesla’s mounting bricks come in standard and drained configurations.

Tesla solar roof installation. Image credit: Chuck Field

Standard mounting blocks allow the tile below it to mount to it, but also allow the panel above it to clip to it, thanks to a healthy dose of industrial grade plastic hook and loop. The trailing edge of the panel above the mounting brick has another strip of this fabric, resulting in a very secure bond. Check it out in the video below:

Drained mounting bricks include a channel that helps water drain in the proper direction between each of the PV Modules or where they butt up against a Roofing Tile or Roofing Module. They still allow adjoining modules to mount to them with their c-clips, but with the added benefit of funneling water down the roof.

A Tesla solar roof tile clipped onto a drained mounting block. Image credit: Kyle Field | CleanTechnica

The Electrical System
Each PV Module is connected to the solar roof wiring string via standard solar MC connectors that come pre-installed from the factory. These strings then connect down through the roof via a series of electrical pucks mounted and sealed to the roof. Tesla is required to install a Rapid Shutdown Device (RSD) within 5 feet of every solar array, so they are typically installed up in the rafters near the roof.

The wiring in an array of Tesla solar roof tiles. Image credit: Tesla

On the inside of the house, the pucks sprout bare wires that connect to one of a handful of these Delta Rapid Shutdown Devices, shown as a small grey box to the right of the rooftop wiring in the image above. Outputs from the RSDs are fed down to a pair of Delta inverters that convert the DC power from the roof down into the AC power that all the electrical goodies in the home want.

From there, the wiring configuration varies depending on whether Powerwalls are being installed or not. We are installing two Powerwalls, so we’ll talk through the essential loads wiring configuration. For our house, we do not have anything running on gas, so all our appliances, cooking, and heating are electric. Add to that two electric car chargers and a spare for guests and our loads were just too large to cram into a single 200 amp electrical sub-panel.

After all the load calculations were done, we opted to pull a few of the larger, less critical loads off of the Powerwall battery backup and just backup the “essential” loads in our house. The image below shows a single, undersized inverter and diminutive supporting boxes. Every single one of these boxes/devices in our system is twice as large as shown here, with the exception of the Tesla Powerwall (though, technically, we do have two of those).

Image credit: Tesla

The two Powerwalls provide backup power to everything on our 200 amp sub-panel, while the remaining loads in our home — our electric oven and two of our car chargers — will be relegated to the 400 amp main panel.

The Tesla Backup Gateway provides communication to the Tesla Mothership and can automagically disconnect the home from the grid in the event of a power outage. Doing so engages the Powerwalls to provide power to all of the essential loads in the sub-panel, while being replenished by the rooftop solar system when the sun is out.

That’s an overview of the components in a Tesla solar roof system. We’ll dive into the system more in future articles, so stay tuned for a first look at this hot new clean tech.

Related Exclusive: Why Tesla’s Solar Roof Is A Bargain, 53% Of The Price Of A Roof + Electricity — CleanTechnica Analysis

About the Author

Kyle Field I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. TSLA investor.

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A Summer-Long Adventure In My Tesla Model 3

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Published on August 9th, 2019 |

by Guest Contributor

A Summer-Long Adventure In My Tesla Model 3

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August 9th, 2019 by Guest Contributor

Originally published on EVANNEX.
By Jonathan David Harris, aka @aPowerTrip

It was late April 2019 when a friend and I arrived at the Glendale Galleria in California to see the new Captain Marvel movie. While my friend took a business call I wandered into the Tesla showroom next door. It was then, for the first time, I encountered a Model 3 up close. I sat in the car and was amazed at the simplicity of Tesla’s interior design. It was impressive to see a single touchscreen control nearly all of the car’s features — even the direction of airflow.

At the St. Louis Arch (Source: @aPowerTrip)

After a quick overview of the car, the Tesla specialist showed me a map of all the Supercharger stations located throughout the US. He told me, “You can now travel freely around the county with the amount of charging stations available.”

In New Hampshire (Source: @aPowerTrip)

I gazed at the red dots across the Supercharger map and announced, “I know what I’m doing this summer.” It turns out I have a background in video production and technology, so an opportunity to put this Tesla Model 3 to the test while taking video and photos all across the country would turn out to be a perfect match. It was decided — I wanted to take a summer-long road trip with my dog without using any gasoline.

Mt. Washington (Source: @aPowerTrip)

I don’t think the specialist believed me any more than my friends or family. When I told everyone I was thinking of taking a summer-long road trip with a Tesla all around the country from Memorial Day to Labor Day, they were in disbelief. If I’m being honest, I don’t think I believed it would happen either. Memorial Day was a month away and I wasn’t even sure I could afford the car. Or the trip.

Over the next week, I figured out a plan. If I could sell my car, old production gear, and other items in my house, rent out my home for the summer, and camp in National Parks around the country (rather than spend money in hotels) — I figured … it just might be possible.

Redwood National Park (Source: @aPowerTrip)

So I sold off the gear and my car, gathered some camping essentials that would fit in the Model 3 trunk and frunk, and managed to find someone to sublet my home. Everything fell into place very quickly. Even the car I wanted — a RWD Tesla Model 3, Midnight Silver, with long-range battery became available for pickup the day after I ordered it.

There were, however, a few speed bumps in those initial prep weeks. The first sublet tenant bailed last minute and I was worried I wouldn’t find a replacement just a few days before my departure. I also found some lumps on my dog Indy, which gave me a scare about her health. Indy is a twelve-year-old terrier I adopted when she was only eight weeks old. She’s named after Indiana Jones, the lead character in my favorite movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Camping at Devil Tower (Source: @aPowerTrip)

Indy turned out to be okay and the vet gave us the green light. Financing this last-minute adventure was a bit of a rocky adventure, with a very rough idea of where we were going.

Brooklyn Bridge (Source: @aPowerTrip)

The plan was to visit National Parks, cross off some bucket list items, visit friends and family, and basically allow the trip to determine our path. In just two months, we’ve put over 12,000 miles on the Model 3 and it wasn’t until August 1st that I finally had to pay to charge the car.

I was fortunate enough to have two people use my Tesla referral code (Jonathan96658), which gave me 6,000 free miles of Supercharging along the way. The other 6,000 miles of charging came from Tesla’s free destination chargers, friends and family allowing us to plug in, and other free public charging spots. I even had a few Quality Inn hotels provide access to their outlets so we could get some extra range in parts of the country that didn’t have ample Superchargers.

Cheers Pub in Boston (Source: @aPowerTrip)

It’s been an incredible journey, with many challenges and bumps in the road, but very few have to do with the Tesla Model 3. There was snow, hail, and storms (especially in the Midwest), road closures, Indy temporarily became ill, my car was towed in NYC, and (yes) a few moments of “will I have enough range to get to the next charger?” But that was typically my fault. I was trying to push the limits of the car.

After a hail storm in Yosemite (Source: @aPowerTrip)

There were a few other hiccups along the way. Although the Tesla specialist told me every Supercharger is conveniently located near a place to use a restroom — that isn’t 100% true. Most Superchargers are close to a restaurant (or located near stores) but if you’re traveling around the country and need to charge early in the morning or late at night, there can be a surprising lack of options for trash removal, cleaning the windshield, or access to restrooms, as everything is usually closed during these off-hours.

Supercharger station late at night (Source: @aPowerTrip)

But these minor issues haven’t taken away from the Model 3’s stellar performance. I do not see myself ever going back to a gas-operated vehicle. Also, thank you Tesla for Autopilot — it’s especially helpful when you’re driving over 10 hours in a day. I can’t wait for Tesla’s updates to Summon, Autopilot, and other refinements that should arrive in the next software update. And, of course, a huge shout out to “Dog Mode,” which keeps Indy safe and cool while I run errands.

In Seattle (Source: @aPowerTrip)

In any event, be sure to look out for lots of videos I’ll be publishing on my YouTube channel when I return from my summer-long road trip. If you already have a Tesla, congrats, but if you’re buying or leasing, please use my referral code — Jonathan96658 — which provides me with free charging and will help get me home in September. In the meantime, feel free to follow my ongoing Tesla Model 3 adventures with Indy via @aPowerTrip on Instagram.

Video: Fox Rochester.

About the Author

Guest Contributor is many, many people. We publish a number of guest posts from experts in a large variety of fields. This is our contributor account for those special people. 😀

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Tesla Model 3 = 3rd Best Selling Vehicle In The Netherlands In July

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Published on August 14th, 2019 |

by Jose Pontes

Tesla Model 3 = 3rd Best Selling Vehicle In The Netherlands In July

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August 14th, 2019 by Jose Pontes

Photo by Zach Shahan | CleanTechnica

The Dutch plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market grew 73% in July, with 2,372 plug-in registrations, which translated into a PEV share of 7%. For January through July, PEV share was at 8.6%, well above the 6% of 2019.

Things could have been better if plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) hadn’t dropped 21% year over year (YoY). Full electrics (BEVs) alone jumped 102%. If we only consider BEVs, the EV share last month was 6.2%, with the 2019 share being 7.4%.

In July, the Tesla Model 3 (590 units) had its best first-month-of-quarter so far, so prospects for beating the all-time BEV record from a single model (2,621 units last December), which is currently in the hands of the Jaguar I-PACE, look good. I can’t wait to see the September results…

But back to July. While the 2nd place finish of the Hyundai Kona EV is not surprising (insert battery constraint comment), the 3rd place finish of the VW e-Golf certainly is, and the German hatchback did it with 231 units, its best result since January. That is a meritable result for a model in sunset mode, which leaves great prospects for the upcoming ID.3. (If VW manages these level of sales with a veteran and overpriced model, imagine how high it can reach with a competitive EV…)

A bit surprisingly, the Nissan Leaf, despite the injection of the 62 kWh version, failed to reach the top 5, ending the month in sixth, just behind the niche (and ageless) BMW i3.

Checking the Japanese hatchback registrations in detail, most of them continue to be of the 40 kWh version, so either volume deliveries of the 62 kWh version are still to come, or the longer range version is not the success Nissan had hoped for.

Looking ahead, the future of the Nissan EV looks somewhat bleak. It is being squeezed from above (Tesla Model 3) and below (revised Renault Zoe, Peugeot e-208, Opel e-Corsa), and the arrival of the VW ID.3 should hit it full frontal. Only deep discounting could keep sales coming in. Now, whether Nissan wants to follow that path is a whole different subject.

Rank
Model
July Sales

1
Tesla Model 3
590

2
Hyundai Kona EV
324

3
VW e-Golf
231

4
Kia Niro EV
221

5
BMW i3
153

Looking at the 2019 ranking, the Tesla Model 3 sits high above everyone else, with almost triple the sales of the #2 Hyundai Kona EV. In fact, the Tesla midsizer is now the 3rd best selling model — on the entire auto market.

While the overall leader, the VW Polo (7,974 units), seems hard to reach for now, the #2 Ford Focus (7,359) is not that far away, and considering Tesla’s sports sedan is expected to have a stronger second half of the year, the runner-up spot could still fall into the Model 3’s lap.

In terms of the model ranking, there wasn’t much to talk about in the top spots. In fact, we have to go down to #16 to see position changes, with the Volvo XC90 PHEV climbing one position. The Mini Countryman PHEV did the same, to #18.

Photo by Zach Shahan | CleanTechnica

Highlighting Tesla’s good moment, the Model S returned to the top 20, in #20, thanks to 21 deliveries last month. That was its best first-month-of-quarter this year, while its Model X sibling also had a positive month, with 18 deliveries, also a first-month-of-quarter year best, with the sports-minivan-CUV now only 24 units away from the top 20. If the recovering sales continue, we could see it back at the top 20 soon. Maybe in September?

With the Model S now in the top 20, we have 13 BEVs versus 7 PHEVs, and with the all-electric field said to increase in the coming months (Tesla Model X, Kia Soul EV, Mercedes EQC…), I think we are close to a non-returning point, in which plug-in hybrids will be residual in this top 20.

Oh, and because I love factoids, here’s another one that I picked up: The i-Pace is the best selling Jaguar on Dutch lands…

Source: RAI Vereniging and EV Volumes

In the manufacturer ranking, Tesla (32%) is the clear leader, followed by Hyundai (15%), while the race for the last podium place is hot, with Kia (9%) running ahead of Volkswagen and Nissan (both with 8%).

Tesla Model 3 vs. the Gasoline/Diesel Competition

Rank
Model
2019 Sales

1
Tesla Model 3
6,563

2
BMW 3 Series
3,194

3
Volvo S/V60
3,017

4
Mercedes C-Class
1,825

5
Audi A4
1,189

Comparing Model 3 deliveries against the model’s midsize premium competitors, there’s really no doubt about who is Top Dog. The Tesla nameplate had double the sales (registrations) of the #2 BMW 3 Series.

Will the revised BMW 330e, said to start selling soon, help the BMW model to shorten the distance between it and the Model 3?

Maybe … but I have my doubts.

For comparison sake, the PHEV version of the Volvo S/V60 twins represents less than 10% of sales (9%, to be precise). Even if the 330e reaches a 10% share of total 3 Series sales, the increase will barely be visible in what is a large gulf between the two models.

Photo by Zach Shahan | CleanTechnica

Regarding the Tesla Model S & X, a hot topic of recent months, their behavior is far less impressive, as both are below their category’s top 5. Although, the Model S is recovering ground, now in #6, only 31 units behind the #5 Porsche Panamera.

Interestingly, electrification gallops in different rhythms in the full-size vehicle segments than the overall market. In the car category, only one model in the top 5 has more than 20% of its sales coming from plug-ins (#5 Porsche Panamera, 73% of sales come from the PHEV versions).

In the SUV category, only one model (BMW X5, 0%) has less than 45% plug-in sales, with most of the Bimmer’s sales pretty visibly transferring to the PHEV version, once it becomes available. We even have a BEV in the SUV top 5: the Audi e-Tron is the 2nd best selling full-size SUV in the Netherlands!

Tesla Model 3 = 4th Best Selling Vehicle in Switzerland in 1st Half of 2019

Tesla Model 3 = 9th Best Selling Car In USA In 2nd Quarter

Tesla Model 3 = 10th Best Selling Vehicle In Sweden … In July!

About the Author

Jose Pontes Always interested in the auto industry, particularly in electric cars, Jose has been overviewing the sales evolution of plug-ins through the EV Sales blog since 2012, allowing him to gain an expert view on where EVs are right now and where they are headed in the future. The EV Sales blog has become a go-to source for people interested in electric car sales around the world. Extending that work and expertise, Jose is now a partner in EV-Volumes and works with the European Alternative Fuels Observatory on EV sales matters.

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