Last Updated on May 30, 2023 by Rose Morah
Wondering whether to purchase solar panels from Tesla or other local companies?
This article has highlighted the main advantages and disadvantages of Tesla solar panels when compared to other companies, based on my own experiences and other solar panel customers.
This is to help you know what you are getting into and what you will be missing out on when purchasing Tesla Solar panels.
Related: Is Renting Tesla Solar Panels Worth It?
Reasons Why Tesla Solar is worth it
1. It is affordable compared to other local companies
When you compare the solar costs of Tesla vs other solar companies, Tesla solar is more affordable.
When I was planning to install solar at my home, I got different quotes and presentations from different solar companies but in the end, I went with Tesla Solar because of so many factors. Affordability was one of the reasons.
| NOTE: Tesla will charge you per watt. That could be the case for other solar companies. However, some solar companies will charge you per panel and other factors. |
See also:
How many Solar Panels You Need To Power Your House (Complete Guide).
How To Calculate The Solar Panels Needed To Charge An EV.
2. Tesla has better financing
Tesla financing is better because of the following reasons;
- Tesla does not charge a company financing fee. Other solar companies will charge you a high company financing fee.
NOTE: This is not an interest charge.
- Based on my experience, Tesla offers competitive rates.
NOTE: Though Tesla financing has lately not been that great, it is better compared to most other solar companies. But make sure you compare the quotes.
3. Tesla has a great Solar app
Tesla solar app is very good at showing you:
- The energy produced.
- It shows you what’s being sent to the Powerwall or utility company.
- It shows you what’s coming from the Powerwall and so on.
4. The Tesla warranty is reliable
The Tesla solar warranty is more reliable because they are not going to run out of business compared to when you go with other local solar companies that run out of business in the future and thus, your warranty may not be fully guaranteed.
Reasons why Tesla solar may not be worth it
1. They are not flexible
When it comes to solar system design, Tesla tends to be more conservative. It is also not possible to communicate with the system designer.
On the other hand, the local solar companies are flexible and you can talk to the system designer. They are also very responsive and good at communicating.
For instance, when I was purchasing Tesla solar, it was not possible to talk to the system designer. The process took so long because the first design had a very weird layout with less kWh.
The second time, the design was okay but was still less than what the local solar company was offering.
2. Customer Support is not that good
One thing that I don’t like about Tesla is its customer support.
Tesla solar customer support and follow-up are really not that good.
I waited for about 6 months for installation with zero communication.
I have also heard complaints from other Tesla solar owners who had issues with the solar but it took soo long for them to respond and fix the issues.
On the other hand, most other solar companies tend to have better customer service. You can easily communicate with them and have any of your issues fixed within no time.
3. Warranty
Tesla solar offers a slightly shorter warranty compared to other local solar companies.
However, I highly recommend going through the warranty to see what’s actually covered and compare to know what you’re actually getting into.
Other FAQs
Is Tesla solar more efficient compared to other solar panels?
Yes, Tesla solar is very efficient. However, its efficiency also depends on other factors such as shading.
If you have more shade throughout the day, then this will definitely affect the amount of energy the panels produce.
For more efficiency factors, I recommend going through this article>> Solar Panel Home Installation: What To Consider Before Installing.
