Tesla ‘Mad Max’ will get its first little bit of regulatory consideration

Tesla’s long-awaited and manner underrated Photo voltaic Roof might lastly be getting its second. Throughout the firm’s Q3 2025 earnings name, Vice President of Power Engineering Michael Snyder revealed that manufacturing of a brand new residential photo voltaic panel has began at Tesla’s Buffalo, New York facility, with shipments to prospects starting within the first quarter of 2026.

The feedback trace at doable renewed life for the Photo voltaic Roof program, which has seen years of gradual development since its 2016 unveiling.

Tesla Power’s robust demand

Responding to an investor query about Tesla’s vitality backlog, Snyder stated demand for Megapack and Powerwall continues to be “actually robust” into subsequent yr. He additionally famous constructive buyer suggestions for the corporate’s new Megablock product, which is anticipated to begin transport from Houston in 2026.

“We’re seeing outstanding development within the demand for AI and knowledge middle purposes as hyperscalers and utilities have seen the flexibility of the Megapack product. It will increase reliability and relieves grid constraints,” he stated.

Snyder additionally highlighted a “surge in residential photo voltaic demand within the US,” attributing the spike to current coverage adjustments that incentivize house installations. Tesla expects this pattern to proceed into 2026, helped by the rollout of a brand new photo voltaic lease product that makes adoption extra inexpensive for owners.

Attainable Photo voltaic Roof revival?

Maybe probably the most intriguing a part of Snyder’s remarks, nevertheless, was Tesla’s transfer to start manufacturing of its “residential photo voltaic panel” in Buffalo, New York. He described the brand new panels as having “industry-leading aesthetics” and form efficiency, language Tesla has used to market its Photo voltaic Roof tiles up to now.

“We additionally started manufacturing of our Tesla residential photo voltaic panel in our Buffalo manufacturing unit, and we will likely be transport that to prospects beginning Q1. The panel has industry-leading aesthetics and form efficiency and demonstrates our continued dedication to US manufacturing,” Snyder stated in the course of the Q3 2025 earnings name.

Snyder didn’t explicitly title the product, although his reference to aesthetics has fueled hypothesis that Tesla might lastly be making ready a large-scale and severe rollout of its Photo voltaic Roof line.

Initially unveiled in 2016, the Photo voltaic Roof was meant to remodel rooftops into clear vitality mills with out compromising on design. Nevertheless, regardless of early enthusiasm, manufacturing and set up volumes have remained restricted for years. In 2023, a report from Wooden Mackenzie claimed that there have been solely 3,000 operational Photo voltaic Roof installations throughout the USA on the time, far beneath forecasts. In response, the official Tesla Power account on X said that the report was “incorrect by a big margin.”