tesla ceo elon musk held a special reveal over the weekend at universal studios in los angeles, when he demonstrated the company’s new solar roof-top panels along with the powerwall 2 high-capacity battery pack for residences and powerpack 2 for businesses.

an example of the tuscan roof. (youtube)

the solar roof that musk revealed was a step forward from an aesthetic standpoint with its four different models that resembled the roof material already in place on most residences across the country. the photovoltaic cell-embedded panels, made of quartz, come in textured, slate, tuscan and smooth. the tiles are transparent to solar energy but appear opaque at an angle.

musk noted that the current solar roof tiles have 98 percent of the capabilities of standard solar panels but that he is working with 3m to develop coatings that could allow the panels to store the light within resulting in less energy loss before it is diffused into the system.

the roof was also marketed by tesla as less expensive than a standard roof combined with electricity from the grid but there were no price details given because installation costs will differ dependent on the home.

the new powerwall 2.0 battery pack can store more than twice as much energy as the previous version. it contains a pair of 14 kw/h lithium-ion batteries in each pack with a built-in inverter that works to convert solar energy from the panels to electricity. according to musk, it can power lights, sockets and a refrigerator for a standard four-bedroom home for a day.

at the reveal, which was done on the former set of desperate housewives, musk noted that installations will begin in summer 2017 and that the solar roof is expected to have a long life, “two to three times the longevity of asphalt.”

there are concerns about the new product. few deny the aesthetic value of the roof panels, but with no certainty over price or details about installations, there are still worries about the success of the project, particularly after dow chemical ended its attempt at solar roof tiles last year.

to learn more about the solar roof, click https://www.engadget.com/2016/10/28/tesla-unveils-its-solar-roof-and-powerwall-2 or https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/28/these-are-teslas-stunning-new-solar-roof-tiles-for-homes.

watch the video below to hear from tesla ceo elon musk: