The solar energy industry continues to grow and develop new technologies. Homeowners have a plethora of solar panel options to choose from. One of the most recognizable brands is Tesla Solar Panels.
Tesla, known for its innovation in the electric vehicle market, is also making waves in the solar industry with their home solar and Powerwall battery systems.
Despite Tesla’s reputation for innovation and their competitive cost structure, several cons to what they offer have led us at Paradise Energy Solutions to not offer their products to our customers.
Below, I discuss all the factors influencing our decision to avoid Tesla solar panels, from customer service issues to panel size constraints.
3 Reasons We Don't Sell Tesla Solar Panels: An Insider's Perspective
1. Customer Service Concerns
One of our primary goals at Paradise Energy Solutions is to create raving fans of our customers. That means providing the best customer support possible before and after installing the system. To help us accomplish this, we need to align our company with equipment manufacturers that share our team's customer-first values.
Enter Tesla, a company that excels in many areas, including product innovation, but unfortunately falls short in one key area—customer support. It doesn’t take an extensive Google search to find their customers' many negative online reviews.
This is a big concern for the system owners and the solar installation company. Our service team has stepped in to help many Tesla customers over the years. This experience has shown that it can be difficult to connect with Tesla to get answers to product questions and resolve maintenance and warranty issues.
Providing our customers with quick, reliable customer service is paramount. Our customers are making a significant financial investment in their solar panel systems, and they deserve prompt help when needed and timely resolutions to maintenance issues and warranty claims.
2. Unusual Panel Sizes
Product flexibility is key in today’s solar market. There are times when product availability, economics, and even policy changes can limit our access to certain products. We need the option to interchange the panels when designing a new system or servicing an existing one.
This leads us to our second biggest concern with Tesla's solar panels. Tesla's panels are a unique size that doesn't align with industry norms. For example, their 400-watt panel is 74.4” x 41.2”, whereas the standard size for most other manufacturers is 65” x 39”.
The lack of standardization in their panels can create significant challenges if an individual panel ever needs to be replaced. Your replacement options will be limited when attempting to find a panel that fits in the existing vacated spot.
By sticking with standard panel sizes, we can ensure greater long-term flexibility and easier maintenance for our customers. If the original panel is no longer available, we will likely have multiple other options for panel replacement if a standard-sized panel is used at the onset.
3. Complex Installer Requirments
Lastly, Tesla has implemented a unique training process and requirements for installers who want to work with their products. While this may seem good (we're all for comprehensive training and high standards for installers), Tesla's requirements go beyond what's typical in the industry.
In a market where adaptability is crucial, these stringent requirements can limit our ability to respond quickly to changes in product availability. While we pride ourselves on being well-trained on all the products we offer, we also need the ability to be agile to switch between different panel and inverter options as needed to best serve our customers.
Tesla Panel Alternatives: Our Top Three Picks
Choosing the best solar panels can be overwhelming. There are many factors to consider, the main ones being price, aesthetics, performance, and warranties.
At Paradise Energy, we’ve spent over 15 years installing solar panels, gaining valuable insight into what makes a high-quality solar panel. Using this expertise, we carefully select our preferred solar panel brands based on a thorough evaluation process. Here’s what we look for:
Company Criteria:
- Location and manufacturing: Are they based in the U.S. or have U.S. manufacturing?
- Customer support: How reliable and responsive is their service?
- Profitability: Is the company stable and financially secure?
Product Factors:
- Performance: How efficient are the panels, and how well do they perform?
- Aesthetics: Do the panels blend well with different roof styles?
- Warranties: How do their workmanship and production warranties compare to other brands?
- Cost: How does the pricing compare to the value offered?
After rigorous evaluation, we confidently recommend these three solar panel brands over Tesla: Axitec, QCells, and SEG. Each has passed our stringent testing process, ensuring we can confidently offer their products to our customers.
Are Tesla Solar Panels Worth It?
Should you go with Tesla solar Panels? The short answer is it depends on your goals. The quick answer is that it depends on your objectives.
If cost and brand recognition are the primary drivers of your purchase decision, then Tesla is a good brand for you. Tesla solar panels cost less than most other brands, and it is also a household brand.
However, while Tesla is undoubtedly a leader in many areas of sustainable technology, its solar panel offering doesn't align with our commitment to providing our customers with flexible, well-supported solar solutions. For this reason, we at Paradise Energy can not confidently say Tesla solar panels are worth it.
While we do not currently offer Tesla products, we do believe they are a brand to watch. We will keep a close eye on them. Our product team continuously evaluates our product offering to ensure we are providing our customers with the latest and greatest technology.
Do you need help selecting the best solar panels for your solar installation? Our team of solar experts helped thousands of homeowners and business leaders across the mid-Atlantic invest in solar energy. We'd love to help you take the next step towards a financially and environmentally sustainable investment. Request your free custom quote to get started.
