Program update · Models and trims
Tesla dropped Solar Roof. What can a referral still be used on at home?
The referral side barely moves: Solar Roof wasn't a qualifying product in the terms we've read this year. Solar panels are, if Tesla installs them.
- Event date
- Countries
- United States
What changed
Solar panels, installed by Tesla — and that was already the case. Electrek reported on Aug 20, 2026 that Tesla told certified installers Solar Roof tiles can no longer be ordered, and that tesla.com/solarroof now redirects to the solar panels page. Tesla's US referral terms list “solar panels” as the only qualifying energy product, in both the Feb 15 and Jun 15, 2026 copies; Solar Roof wasn't on that list.
What happened
Electrek reported on Aug 20, 2026, citing two sources close to the program, that Tesla had told its certified third-party installers that Solar Roof tiles are no longer available to order and that it will supply only conventional solar panels. It also found that Tesla's own website matched: tesla.com/solarroof redirected to the solar panels page, and the Energy menu listed only Solar Panels, Powerwall and Megapack.
We didn't find a Tesla announcement, so this note relies on those reports and on what Tesla's site showed.
Was Solar Roof ever a referral product?
Not in the US terms we've read this year. Tesla's US Refer and Earn page lists the qualifying products for buyer, loyalty and referrer benefits. For energy, it names one:
| Product | Qualifying product for referral benefits | Makes you an existing customer |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels | Yes, “only… if you have them installed by Tesla” | Yes |
| Powerwall | Not on the qualifying list | Yes |
| Solar Roof | Not on the qualifying list | Yes |
Tesla's US referral page card is broader than the terms: on our capture of Oct 3, 2026 it showed $400 off “Solar Panels & Powerwall.” Tesla doesn't reconcile the two, and there's no Solar Roof card. So the discontinuation removes a product the referral terms didn't name in the first place.
The solar card has been steady
While the product line changed, the referral card didn't. Tesla's US referral page showed $400 off “Solar Panels & Powerwall” on every capture we hold from Jan 1, 2025 to Oct 3, 2026 that showed benefit figures, through every change to the car cards in that time. Solar Roof never had a card of its own on those captures.
If you were mid-way through a Solar Roof quote
Tesla's referral terms don't say what happens to an open Solar Roof order or quote, and the reports don't either. If you had one, ask Tesla or your installer where it stands before switching to panels. If you switch, treat the panel order as a new order: a referral link has to be open before it's placed, because links “cannot be applied after you place your order.”
A solar-panel referral, step by step
Check you're a first-time buyer.
If you already own Tesla solar, Solar Roof or a Powerwall, a friend's link isn't for you; Tesla points you to loyalty benefits.
Open the referral link first.
Check the “Solar Panels & Powerwall” card shows a benefit line.
Start the solar order from that page.
Tesla's terms say solar panels only qualify if Tesla installs them.
Keep a record.
A screenshot of the card and your order confirmation.
Who this affects
- US homeowners who wanted Solar Roof through a referral: the product isn't orderable, as reported. If you want Tesla solar now, it's solar panels — and those are the qualifying energy product, if Tesla installs them.
- Powerwall-only buyers: the card says “Solar Panels & Powerwall,” the terms say “solar panels.” Ask Tesla whether a Powerwall-only order carries the benefit before you rely on it.
- Existing Solar Roof owners: nothing about your status changes. Tesla's terms say if you already own a qualifying Tesla energy product, “you cannot use a friend's referral link.” Solar Roof also sits on Tesla's “already joined the Tesla community” list.
- Owners who shared their link for Solar Roof: there's no Solar Roof card to send anyone to. Point friends to the solar panels card instead.
What hasn't changed
Car referrals aren't affected. The solar-panel path is the same: open the referral link before you start the order, and the panels must be installed by Tesla. Tesla Credits from the program can go toward “a new energy product purchase” only when the product is installed by Tesla. And the rule for existing energy owners is unchanged — they get loyalty benefits, not a friend's link.
Other countries
This note covers the United States, where we've read Tesla's terms and referral page. We haven't checked whether Solar Roof appeared on any other country's referral page.
What to do now
Want Tesla solar?
Solar panels installed by Tesla are the qualifying energy product. Open the referral link before you start.
Powerwall only?
Ask Tesla whether the “Solar Panels & Powerwall” card applies to a Powerwall-only order, and keep the reply.
Already own Tesla solar or a Powerwall?
Don't use a friend's link; look for loyalty benefits on your Tesla Account.
Sources
- Electrek — Tesla discontinues its Solar Roof tiles, not economically viable,
- Tesla — Refer and Earn support page (US), archived copy,
- Tesla — Refer and Earn support page (US), “Updated February 24, 2026”, . Live page: tesla.com/support/refer-and-earn
- Tesla (Internet Archive capture) — US referral page, . our capture; not linked because the address carries an owner's referral code