Tesla Axes Solar Subscriptions, Only Cash and Loan Options Remain

While Tesla’s solar roof installs still face a huge backlog of orders, the company has stopped offering a subscription service that made the starting costs of buying solar more affordable.

Tesla is doing away with its solar subscription services, as it now only offers options for cash and loan purchases when ordering solar hardware and installation on its website, according to Teslarati.

The solar subscription service allowed customers to pay smaller amounts directly to Tesla for an ongoing period of time, rather than forcing them to either take out a loan or make a large cash purchase.

Without the solar subscription service, solar installations for the average 2,500 square-foot household will cost around $18,000-$20,000 USD outright. It isn’t exactly clear why Tesla did away with the service, though the company’s solar branch already has its hands full.

The news comes amidst multiple lawsuits lodged against Tesla’s business, including a class-action lawsuit in California from multiple U.S. households which said Tesla raised solar installation prices after contracts were signed.

In addition, Tesla faces a Delaware lawsuit defending the company’s purchase of SolarCity in 2016, purchased from Musk’s cousins and SolarCity founders Lyndon and Peter Rive. Shareholders alleged that the purchase benefitted Musk and his brother Kimbal “at the expense of Tesla and its minority stockholders.”