SunPower vs Tesla:
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Sunpower vs Tesla: Who is the best fit for your home solar project?
Tesla is synonymous with their founder, Elon Musk, and the eponymous electric vehicle, but in 2016 they entered the solar energy market with their purchase of SolarCity.
It’s important to clarify that this post will focus on Tesla retro-fit panels, not Tesla roof tiles. Solar Roof tiles, while an amazing idea, have yet to expand broadly commercially due to their high investment cost, low efficiency and difficulty to manufacture. As of 2023, less than 3000 intalls have been completed with customers citing long wait lists and very slow timelines. “Retro-fit panels” is the name Tesla gives to their traditional Tesla panels installed on roofs via a racking system.
While the branding for Tesla is strong it’s important to break down the aspects of Tesla Solar into their manufacturing, customer service, solar technology and financing to see if they will be a good fit for your solar project.
SunPower was founded in 1985 and is known for having the highest efficiency panels on the market, the least customer complaints, the longest lasting panels and a slightly higher price point. While often considered the best on the market by industry professionals, they are less well-known than larger solar installers like Tesla or SunRun.
SunPower used to sell exclusively their own in-house panels manufactured by Maxeon, but in August of 2020 Maxeon became an independent company dedicated to manufacturing panels and international sales, while SunPower focusses on solar installation and energy services. At the end of 2022, SunPower began working with LONGI, Talesun, and AT&M. Currently the majority of SunPower panels are made by Maxeon.
Choosing the right installer, panel and financing for your home solar project is crucial. Let’s consider both in detail below:
SunPower vs. Tesla; at a glance
| SunPower | Tesla Solar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.65 to $4.20 per watt | $2.10 to $2.85 per watt |
| Year Founded | 1985 | Tesla founded in 2003, acquired Solar City in 2016 |
| Panels | Maxeon Solar, as well as LONGI, Talesun, and AT&M | Panasonic: 2016 - 2021 QCells: 2021 - Current |
| Panel Efficiency | 20.3 - 22.7% | 19.3 - 19.8% |
| Panel Function at 10 and 25 Years | 10: 95.9% 25: 92% | 10: 95.53% 25: 90.58% |
| Active Lifespan | 40+ years | 25-30 years |
| Warranty | 40 Years | 25 years |
| Number of Installs | As of the beginning of 2022, SunPower had completed installations at about 427,000 residential homes | Over 500,000 installs - an impressive feat given their short time on the market |
| Customer Complaints | 623 total complaints on BBB | 0.001% of installs with complaints (as of 2024) Tesla does not have a unified account on BBB, but customer response has generally been positive for price and sales process, and low for customer support and being on schedule. |
| # of States Currently Operating In | 50 | 40 |
| Installation | Done by SunPower | Outsourced |
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Recommended
Your Installer is Tesla.
Why EnergyPal Recommends:
- Tesla is most well known for their Electric Vehicles, although founder Elon Musk is also known for ventures such as Space-X, Purchasing Twitter, now “X”, and The Boring Company.
- Tesla Solar has installed solar arrays at break-neck speed and is now one of the largest solar installers in the US.
- A Non-functional Solar Roof tile prototype was unveiled in 2016 to shareholders, with the first solar roof tile installed in 2017.
- Tesla sells high quality mid-tier Korean QCells panels under their brand, and Chinese Amalden photovoltaic glass for their solar roof.
Installer Strengths:
- Tesla Branded QCell panels offer an affordable and quality product.
- Warranty includes part shipping and installation, coverage unique to SunPower.
- Operates in 40 states (Tesla used to install in all 50 states but has seemingly reduced their installations to focus on states with high install rates)
Concerns:
- Customers has cited long wait times for products and poor customer service during and after installation
- Sales process does not always reveal that the products are not manufactured by Tesla and presents them as Tesla products
Recommended
Your Installer is SunPower.
Why EnergyPal Recommends:
- Founded in 1985, SunPower is consistently among the very top rated Solar installers due to their customer service and best in class technology.
- SunPower Equinox system is an all-in-one residential solar solution designed to integrate high-efficiency solar panels, microinverters, mounting hardware, and monitoring software into a cohesive package.
- Offering panels at efficiencies as high as 22.7%, the highest percentage commercially available for residential installations.
Installer Strengths:
- Lowest overall customer complaint rate of any major solar installer in the US.
- Highest Efficiency panels available for residential installation.
- Warranty includes part shipping and installation, coverage unique to SunPower.
- The 40 year expected lifespan of the system delivers the best long-term ROI on solar arrays.
Concerns:
- SunPower’s marginally higher upfront cost can be a deterrent to customers looking for the fastest payback period for panel installation.
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Efficiency Comparison
For those that like to know the particulars of the technology, let’s consider the efficiency of the two systems. The amount of power a panel can produce under ideal conditions is called rated power, which is measured in watts. The amount of usable electricity a panel can produce from the sun is called efficiency and is measured as a percentage. The chart below compares rated power and efficiency values for top offerings from Maxeon SunPower and White-labeled Tesla QCells:
| Model | Tesla T430 | SPR-MAX3-430 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 430 Watts | 430 Watts |
| Efficiency | 19.8% | 22.7% |
| Degradation Rate | 2% first year, 0.54 per year following | 2% first year, 0.25% per year following |
The SunPower model converts more sunlight into usable energy for your home through a higher efficiency.
Both models perform similarly for hailstones or impact resistance tests, and both are rated to perform at temperatures ranging from -40°C to +85°C. While all standard tests are performed on both panels, Maxeon SunPower panels are also put through an Ammonia test, a Desert test, Salt Spray test, and a PID (Potential Induced Degradation) test that checks how panels will perform long term under extreme weather conditions.
Learn More About The Best Solar Panel Options
Power Degradation Rate Comparison
You’ll notice the chart above includes a category called “Degradation Rate”. All solar panels lose efficiency over time. This is called the power degradation rate. Two things contribute to solar panel degradation: initial sunlight exposure and ongoing wear and tear from weather phenomena. The degradation suffered initially by a solar panel is called Light Induced Degradation (LID) and is usually on the order of 2–3%.
| Model | Tesla T430 | SPR-MAX3-430 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum rating at 25 years | 85.04% | 92% |
| Expected Decline at 30 years | 82.34% | 90.75% |
| Expected decline at 35 years | 79.64% | 89.5% |
Given that the SunPower Max3-430 Starts at 22.7% efficiency, and the Comparable Tesla T430 starts at 19.8%, the following line graph displays the total efficiency over time, out to 40 years. While SunPower panels are expected to last 40 years, QCELLS sold under the Tesla brand have an average life expectancy of 30 years. While some people will choose to replace panels at the 30 year mark some homeowners prefer to extend the deadline.
Aesthetics Comparison
You want your whole home to look incredible, including your solar panels. Aesthetics are an important point. The cell, the panel backsheet, the frame, the racking system and the size of your panels contribute to just how pleasing a panel set looks.
Tesla T430
The Tesla T430 panel is a sleek, black, low-profile panel. Tesla has done a great job at making the panel very uniform by making the individual cells nearly invisible. In low light situations, the panel looks almost completely black.
Here are some images from a homeowner who reviewed the panels - it should be noted that Tesla posts many photoshopped images of their own panels in their promotional materials. While the panels are undoubtedly very nice looking panels, the wiring is slightly more visible than what is suggested by their own website.
SPR-MAX3-430
The SunPower Panel has a more distinctive look of individual cells with a crisp white border. While the wiring is visible, in person the wiring is very nearly impossible to see.
Below see examples of SunPower Panels in both daylight and low-light settings.
What type of look you prefer is going to come down to personal taste. Both the Tesla and the SunPower are beautiful and sleek panels.
Warranty Comparison
There are two types of warranties available when it comes to solar panels: the performance warranty and the product warranty. The performance warranty guarantees a certain power degradation rate and minimum rated power after a certain number of years (in this case 25 years). The product warranty is more like a traditional warranty that covers faulty workmanship or defects that cause the solar panel to stop working completely or correctly. A solid product warranty can save you thousands if a panel ever breaks.
Let’s compare the coverage durations for the Tesla and Sunpower product warranties.
| Model | Tesla | SunPower |
|---|---|---|
| Panel | 25 years | 25 years |
| Inverter | 12.5 years | 25 years |
| Racking | * | 25 years |
| Monitoring System | N/A | 10 years |
| Labor | 10 years | 25 years |
*As Tesla outsources their installations they exclude workmanship warranty. This means that the racking warranty may be excluded unless it is clear the issue is with the racking only
See Tesla Warranty and Warranty Paperwork
See SunPower Complete Confidence Warranty
SunPower makes their warranty a part of their branding and covers the panels, racking, inverters, labor, as well as shipping in their coverage. This information is easy to find on their website and is corroborated in their warranty white papers. Tesla’s warranty coverage is more difficult to find and lists exclusions that make it somewhat difficult to know, even for industry experts, what is included and what isn’t.
Overall, SunPower has a much more inclusive warranty and is much more clear about coverage in their communications with homeowners. In Summary, here is our comparison of SunPower solar panels vs. buying a solar system from Tesla:
| Tesla | SunPower | |
|---|---|---|
| Years in Solar | 17 years Tesla acquired Solar City in 2017. Solar City began installing in 2006. | 35 years 15 years as a publicly traded company |
| Inverter | 12.5 years | 25 years |
| Solar Cell Manufactured | 0 Tesla does not manufacture the solar products it sells. | 2.8 billion |
| System Integration | Varies 6+ panel manufacturers and 4+ inverter manufacturers | 100% SunPower Solar panel, microinverter, racking, monitoring hardware and accessories |
| Panel Efficiency | 19.8%, but varies by manufacturer | Up to 22.7% |
| Panel Durability | Varies by manufacturer | 0.25% / year warranted power drop |
| Panel Sustainability | Varies by manufacturer | A Leader in Solar Sustainability 2019 pv magazine Sustainability Award Winner 10/10 Score: Module Toxicity & Recycled |
| Power Warranty | Varies by manufacturer | 92% power in year 25 |
| Warranty Provider | 4+ pass-through warranties | 100% SunPower 25-Year Complete Confidence Warranty for panel, racking and microinverter;10-year for monitoring hardware |
