Tesla announces production of a new solar panel in the US
Tesla announced that it started to produce its own new solar panel at Gigafactory New York in Buffalo. The first deliveries are expected in Q1 2026.
After years of neglecting its solar business, Tesla has been reviving it over the last few months. At least temporarily.
Last year, Tesla’s solar deployment got so low that it even stopped reporting it.
However, earlier this month, Tesla relaunched its solar leasing product.
The company didn’t hide the fact that this was an opportunistic move.
During Tesla’s Q3 conference call yesterday, Mike Snyder, Tesla’s VP of energy and charging, noted a surge in residential solar demand due to “policy changes”:
“We’ve also seen a surge in residential solar demand in the US due to policy changes, which we expect to continue into the first half of 2026, as we introduced a new solar lease product.”
He is referencing the Trump administration killing the 30% tax credit for residential solar at the end of the year.
Interestingly, Snyder also announced that Tesla is building a new solar panel in the US:
We also began production of our Tesla residential solar panel in our Buffalo factory, and we will be shipping that to customers starting Q1. The panel has industry-leading aesthetics and shade performance, and demonstrates our continued commitment to US manufacturing.
Tesla has previously claimed to have its own solar panels, but Panasonic briefly manufactured them at Tesla’s Gigafactory New York in Buffalo.
Later, they rebranded solar panels made by South Korea’s Hanwha.
Tesla recently upgraded the specs of its solar panels on its website from 405 to 410 watts:
However, the specs match almost exactly the Hanwha Qcells Q.PEAK DUO ML-G10+ (410W).
It’s unclear if these are the specs of the panel Snyder referred to or a different current offering.
The Strange History of Tesla Gigafactory New York
Tesla bringing back solar panel production to its Buffalo factory in 2025 would mark an interesting full-circle milestone for the storied plant, which has gone through many phases.
The project was initially supposed to produce solar panels, but it transitioned to solar roof tiles under Tesla, which failed to become a major product and resulted in the factory being underutilized.
It has since transitioned to mainly producing Supercharger components and housing Tesla’s data labeling team.
Here’s a quick bulletpoint history of Tesla’s Gigafactory New York:
The “Buffalo Billion” Era (Pre-Tesla)
- 2013: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announces the “Buffalo Billion” initiative. The plan is to build a high-tech factory to be shared by solar manufacturer Silevo and LED lighting manufacturer Soraa.
- 2014: SolarCity (a solar installer co-founded by Elon Musk’s cousins) acquires Silevo. The plan for the factory is massively scaled up, pushing Soraa out. The state’s investment commitment increases to $750 million.
- 2015-2016: SolarCity begins to face significant financial debt, casting doubt on its ability to fulfill its promises for the factory.
The Tesla Acquisition & Solar Roof Promise
- October 2016: With SolarCity near bankruptcy, Elon Musk unveils the Tesla “Solar Roof” tile, a revolutionary new product. He announces this will be the flagship product manufactured at the Buffalo factory.
- November 2016: Tesla officially acquires SolarCity for approximately $2.6 billion, taking control of the still-under-construction Buffalo factory, which becomes known as “Gigafactory 2” (now “Giga New York”).
- December 2016: Tesla announces a partnership with Panasonic. Under the deal, Panasonic will manufacture traditional photovoltaic (PV) solar panels at the factory, helping to occupy the space and employ workers while Tesla works to ramp up the complex Solar Roof.
Operational Pivots & Product Diversification
- 2017: The factory is completed. Panasonic begins its production of traditional solar panels. Tesla begins a very slow and difficult production ramp of its Solar Roof tiles.
- 2018-2019: The factory struggles to meet its ambitious goals. Solar Roof production is far below initial projections, and Tesla repeatedly needs extensions on its 1,460-job commitment to the state.
- 2020: A year of major pivots.
- Panasonic announces its exit from the factory, ceasing its solar panel production.
- To fill the factory and meet job targets, Tesla adds new, non-solar product lines. This includes the assembly of electrical components for the Supercharger network (like power electronics and cabinets) and Prefabricated Supercharger Units (PSUs).
- Tesla also establishes a large Autopilot data labeling team in Buffalo. These are desk jobs, not the “high-tech manufacturing” roles originally promised, but they count toward the employment target.
- End of 2020: Thanks to the diversified product lines and the data labeling team, Tesla finally meets its 1,460-employee commitment, avoiding state penalties.
The AI Pivot & Future Uncertainty
- January 2024: Tesla and NY officials announce a new $500 million investment to build a Dojo Supercomputer cluster at Giga New York. This project is intended to process the massive video data feed from Tesla’s vehicles to train its Full Self-Driving (FSD) AI.
- August 2024: Tesla signs a new lease agreement, extending its commitment to the factory until 2034. The deal is contingent on the $500M Dojo investment; failure to invest would reportedly double Tesla’s rent.
If you are in the US, the next few weeks are likely the last opportunity to secure a solar installation and take advantage of the federal tax credit, which is set to expire.
If you want to make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar – whether you’re a homeowner or renter. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, including those who install Tesla Solar and Powerwalls, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20 to 30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. The company is currently working double time to help people secure solar installations before the end of the tax credit.
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Electricity demand is surging in Texas, and solar, wind, and battery storage are meeting it.
According to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), electricity demand across the Texas grid managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) hit record highs in the first nine months of 2025. ERCOT, which supplies power to about 90% of the state, saw demand jump 5% year-over-year to 372 terawatt hours (TWh) – a 23% increase since 2021. No other major US grid has grown faster over the past year.
Solar and wind keep ERCOT’s grid steady
The biggest growth story in Texas power generation is solar. Utility-scale solar plants produced 45 TWh from January through September, up 50% from 2024 and nearly four times what they generated in 2021 (11 TWh). Wind power also continued to climb, producing 87 TWh through September – a 4% increase from last year and 36% more than in 2021.
Together, wind and solar supplied 36% of ERCOT’s total electricity over those nine months. Solar, in particular, has transformed Texas’s daytime energy mix. From June to September, ERCOT solar farms generated an average of 24 gigawatts (GW) between noon and 1 pm – double the midday output from 2023. That growth has pushed down natural gas use at midday from 50% of the mix in 2023 to 37% this year.
Battery storage is filling in the gaps
Batteries charge during the day when wind and solar generation are the highest, and they produce electricity when generation from wind and solar slows down. ERCOT began reporting battery output separately in October 2024 in its hourly grid data, and it’s clear that batteries are now helping to smooth out evening peaks. This past summer, batteries supplied an average of 4 GW of power around 8 pm, right as solar production dropped off.
Natural gas is flatlining
Natural gas is still Texas’s dominant power source, but it isn’t growing like it used to. Between January and September, gas-fired plants generated 158 TWh of electricity, compared to 161 TWh in 2023. Gas comprised 43% of ERCOT’s generation mix during the first nine months of 2025, down from 47% in the first nine months of 2023 and 2024.
More demand growth ahead
The EIA expects Texas electricity demand to keep rising faster than any other grid in the US. In its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, the EIA projects ERCOT’s demand will climb another 14% in the first nine months of 2026, reaching 425 TWh. That means Texas will need even more solar, wind, and battery storage to keep up with its breakneck growth.
Read more: This $900 million solar farm in Texas is going 100% to data centers
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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GM is recalling nearly 23,000 Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models due to a defect where the tire tread could fall off.
GM is recalling more Chevy Equinox EV models
In a letter sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GM said it has decided to issue a safety recall for certain Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models from model years 2025 to 2026.
This time, it isn’t necessarily GM’s fault. The vehicles may be equipped with 21″ all-season tires that Continental Tire is recalling.
According to Continental, the tires were produced during the week of October 6, 2024, and may have a defect where the tire tread could partially or fully detach. The records show the defect is due to a nonconforming tread base rubber compound.
Owners of affected vehicles may notice unusual tread wear or bulging, vibration while driving, or tire noises. GM is unaware of any incidents related to the defect, but is issuing the recall out of an abundance of caution.
On September 18, 2025, GM inspected the assembly plant and confirmed there were no suspect tires in stock. The 21″ tires come standard on RS trims and are optional on LT1 and LT2 grades.
Although GM is recalling 22,914 Chevy Equinox EVs and Cadillac Optiqs, it estimates that only about 1% of them have the defect.
The recall includes:
- 2026 Cadillac Optiq: 214
- 2026 Chevy Equinox EV: 1,832
- 2025 Cadillac Optiq: 3,468
- 2025 Chevy Equinox EV: 17,400
GM dealers will check all four tires and replace them if needed, free of charge. Dealers were notified on October 16. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed out on December 1, 2025.
You can contact Chevrolet’s customer service number at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac’s at 1-800-333-4223. GM’s recall number is N252525030. Owners can also call the NHTSA hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit the nhtsa.gov website for more information.
The Chevy Equinox EV is now the third best-selling EV in the US, trailing only the Tesla Model Y and Model 3. Meanwhile, Cadillac’s entry-level Optiq SUV is the fifth-most-popular luxury EV. The recall is minor and only affects a small percentage of models, so it’s not expected to have a major impact.
If you want to test one of them for yourself, we can help you get started. Check out our links below to find available Chevy Equinox EV and Cadillac Optiq models near you.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Tesla’s earnings madness, Rivian layoffs, Ford pausing F-150 Lightning, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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