Tesla shares AI5 chip’s formidable manufacturing roadmap particulars

Tesla’s long-awaited and means underrated Photo voltaic Roof might lastly be getting its second. Through the firm’s Q3 2025 earnings name, Vice President of Vitality 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 clients starting within the first quarter of 2026.

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

Tesla Vitality’s robust demand

Responding to an investor query about Tesla’s vitality backlog, Snyder mentioned demand for Megapack and Powerwall continues to be “actually robust” into subsequent 12 months. He additionally famous constructive buyer suggestions for the corporate’s new Megablock product, which is anticipated to start out transport from Houston in 2026.

“We’re seeing exceptional progress within the demand for AI and information middle functions as hyperscalers and utilities have seen the flexibility of the Megapack product. It will increase reliability and relieves grid constraints,” he mentioned.

Snyder additionally highlighted a “surge in residential photo voltaic demand within the US,” attributing the spike to latest 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.

Doable Photo voltaic Roof revival?

Maybe essentially 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 facility, and we will probably be transport that to clients beginning Q1. The panel has industry-leading aesthetics and form efficiency and demonstrates our continued dedication to US manufacturing,” Snyder mentioned 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 getting ready a large-scale and critical 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. Nonetheless, 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 america on the time, far under forecasts. In response, the official Tesla Vitality account on X said that the report was “incorrect by a big margin.”