Sometimes a clean energy innovation is on par with the standard version, so choosing between the two can be tough. When it comes to Tesla's newest solar product, however, the choice is clear.

The first Tesla solar roofs have been installed, and they are beautiful. Ask the most high-profile owner of the roof: Elon Musk. On the Q2 August 2 earnings call for Tesla, Musk said that both he and Tesla CTO Jeffrey B. Straubel already have working solar roofs installed. He also provided unretouched photos of the installed solar tiles to showcase their aesthetic appeal.

image credit: Tesla
image credit: Tesla
In May Musk told the world that the solar tiles were about to be on sale, and that delivery in the U.S. would begin in late 2017. Only 16 days after they began taking pre-orders in May, Tesla was out of stock. The tiles are currently back-ordered well into 2018. Musk had promised that the solar roof would ultimately be cheaper than a traditional version; a claim that appears to be borne out thus far. Add in the infinity warranty for the tiles, and it's hard to make a coherent argument against them.

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