Elon Musk has managed to make technology look sexier once again without compromising its power and quality. The most recent innovation his company has been undertaking focused on solar panels. However, the one he unveiled a few days ago didn't look like one but looked like a sophisticated looking tile.
Musk said that the look was a step to make solar panels as attractive as electric cars. He added that if solar panels are attractive, affordable, and seamless, people will have no chance to resist it because they have something environment-friendly yet beautiful in their hands.
He explained that Tesla has used a special coating to achieve that kind of 'look' for their solar panel. He likened the panels to the privacy screen on a laptop; however, it is similar to a chameleon as it changes depending on the perspective or angle you view it. For example, if you look at the tile tilting at a shallow angle, it looks like an ordinary tile or shingle. On the other hand, viewing it with a 90-degree angle makes the solar panels more visible.
For those who are concerned about the strength of the tiles, Musk conducted a drop test which showed that the material is actually much stronger than slate or tiles. Musk said that the tiles are made of quarts which has a 'quasi-infinite lifetime.'
According to the Tesla CEO, the solar panels will be used with the Powerwall version 2.0, which has double the life of their first-generation battery. This new version is powerful enough to power one four-bedroom house in one day. It will cost around $5500 for 14 kWh of storage and 7 kWh of peak power draw.
Along with Tesla's electric car, Musk's vision is for people to walk inside a Tesla showroom and be able to order not only cars, but also solar panels and batteries. It's like a one-stop shop to save the world from climate change.
