In case you thought we’d be posting today about the new Tesla product that CEO Elon Musk said last week was
supposed to be announced today, well, we’re not. Musk Tweeted yesterday that announcement is being rescheduled for Wednesday.
Instead, Tesla announced late last night that it will make photovoltaic cells and modules with Panasonic in Buffalo, New York starting in 2017 – as part of
the SolarCity deal –
if it goes through. The plant is currently leased by SolarCity from the state of New York, according to
Electrek.
The two companies (Tesla and Panasonic) are
already working together on the growing Gigafactory in Nevada and the Buffalo solar deal is only a “non-binding letter of intent” for now. If the various shareholders approve Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity, the components made in Buffalo will be used, “in a solar energy system that will work seamlessly with Powerwall and Powerpack,” Tesla said. It’ll offer an all-in-one service to get solar energy from your roof to your vehicle.
Speaking of the Gigafactory, it looks like Tesla might not only be using that space for battery bits.
Seeking Alpha
notes that the Gigafactory might soon be building drive units, thanks to new job postings that talk about needing engineers for “Tesla Drive Unit assembly lines” at the Nevada site.
The Tesla/SolarCity deal will be voted on November 17th, if the US isn’t sick of anything that talks about a “vote” by then.
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