Debt instrument percentage of interest rate on variable rate.

No definition available.

Name:	tsla_DebtInstrumentPercentageOfInterestRateOnVariableRate
Namespace Prefix:	tsla_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of reference rate used for variable rate of debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of cash outflow for payment of an obligation from a lender, including but not limited to, letter of credit, standby letter of credit and revolving credit arrangements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123570139&loc=d3e3291-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08(f))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395691&loc=d3e23780-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLinesOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=tsla_USDollarDenominatedLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=tsla_PeoplesBankOfChinaOneYearRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
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Data Type:	na
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=tsla_UnsecuredRevolvingLoanFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt - China Loan Agreements - Additional Information (Detail) - China Loan Agreements [Member] ¥ in Millions, $ in Millions	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2020 CNY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019 CNY (¥)
Secured Term Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior asset-based revolving credit agreement, total lender commitments				¥ 9,000
Secured Term Loan Facility [Member] \| U S Dollar Denominated Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate description			(ii) for U.S. dollar-denominated loans, the sum of one-year LIBOR plus 1.3%.
Secured Term Loan Facility [Member] \| Peoples Bank Of China One Year Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument percentage of interest rate on variable rate		0.7625%
Secured Term Loan Facility [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| U S Dollar Denominated Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		1.30%
Unsecured Revolving Loan Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior asset-based revolving credit agreement, total lender commitments	¥ 4,000
Unsecured Revolving Loan Facility [Member] \| U S Dollar Denominated Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument interest rate description			(ii) for U.S. dollar-denominated loans, the sum of one-year LIBOR plus 0.8%.
Unsecured Revolving Loan Facility [Member] \| Peoples Bank Of China One Year Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument percentage of interest rate on variable rate	0.35%
Repayment of aggregate principal amount \| $		$ 614
Unsecured Revolving Loan Facility [Member] \| London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] \| U S Dollar Denominated Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	0.80%