Consolidated Statements of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Total	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Total Stockholder's Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Subsidiaries [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 667,120		$ 123	$ 1,806,617	$ (1,139,620)		$ 667,120
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013			123,091
Conversion feature of convertible senior notes	548,603			548,603			548,603
Purchase of bond hedges	(603,428)			(603,428)			(603,428)
Sales of warrant	389,160			389,160			389,160
Reclass from equity to mezzanine equity	(58,199)			(58,199)			(58,199)
Common stock issued, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	100,437		$ 3	100,434			100,437
Common stock issued, net of shares withheld for employee taxes, Shares			2,597
Stock-based compensation	162,079			162,079			162,079
Net loss	(294,040)				(294,040)		(294,040)
Other comprehensive loss	(22)					$ (22)	(22)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	911,710		$ 126	2,345,266	(1,433,660)	(22)	911,710
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2014			125,688
Reclass from mezzanine equity to equity for 2018 Notes	10,910			10,910			10,910
Common stock issued, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	106,535		$ 2	106,533			106,535
Common stock issued, net of shares withheld for employee taxes, Shares			2,637
Issuance of common stock public offering	738,408		$ 3	738,405			738,408
Issuance of common stock public offering, shares			3,099
Stock-based compensation	208,338			208,338			208,338
Net loss	(888,663)				(888,663)		(888,663)
Other comprehensive loss	(3,534)					(3,534)	(3,534)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	1,083,704		$ 131	3,409,452	(2,322,323)	(3,556)	1,083,704
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015			131,425
Reclass from mezzanine equity to equity for 2018 Notes	38,501			38,501			38,501
Exercise of conversion feature of convertible senior notes due 2018	(15,056)			(15,056)			(15,056)
Common stock issued, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	163,828		$ 11	163,817			163,828
Common stock issued, net of shares withheld for employee taxes, Shares			11,096
Issuance of common stock public offering	1,687,147		$ 8	1,687,139			1,687,147
Issuance of common stock public offering, shares			7,915
Issuance of common stock upon acquisition ofSolarCity and assumed awards	2,145,988		$ 11	2,145,977			2,145,988
Issuance of common stock upon acquisition ofSolarCity and assumed awards, shares			11,125
Stock-based compensation	347,357			347,357			347,357
Assumption of capped call	(3,460)			(3,460)			(3,460)
Assumption of noncontrolling interests through acquisition	1,066,517	$ 315,943						$ 750,574
Contributions from noncontrolling interests through acquisition	201,527	100,996						100,531
Distributions to noncontrolling interests through acquisition	(17,698)	(7,137)						(10,561)
Net loss	(773,046)	(42,763)			(674,914)		(674,914)	(55,369)
Other comprehensive loss	(20,184)					(20,184)	(20,184)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	4,752,911
Balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016			161,561
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 5,905,125	$ 367,039	$ 161	$ 7,773,727	$ (2,997,237)	$ (23,740)	$ 4,752,911	$ 785,175