Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

The consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2017, the consolidated statements of operations and the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 and the consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, as well as other information disclosed in the accompanying notes, are unaudited. The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2016 was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date. The interim consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes should be read in conjunction with the annual consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.

The interim consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes have been prepared on the same basis as the annual consolidated financial statements and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, which include only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the results of operations for the periods presented. The consolidated results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year or for any other future years or interim periods.

Reclassifications

Certain prior period balances have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation in the consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Such reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations. Starting in the fourth quarter of 2016, we have reclassified the revenue and cost of revenue of our energy storage products from ‘services and other’ into ‘energy generation and storage’ for all periods presented in order to align with our reportable segments.

Resale Value Guarantees and Other Financing Programs

Vehicle sales to customers with a resale value guarantee

Prior to June 30, 2016, we offered resale value guarantees or similar buy-back terms to all customers who purchase vehicles and who financed their vehicles through one of our specified commercial banking partners. Since June 30, 2016, this program is available only in certain international markets. Under this program, customers have the option of selling their vehicle back to us during the guarantee period for a determined resale value. Guarantee periods generally range from 36 to 39 months. Although we receive full payment for the vehicle sales price at the time of delivery, we are required to account for these transactions as operating leases. The amount of sale proceeds equal to the resale value guarantee is deferred until the guarantee expires or is exercised. The remaining sale proceeds are deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the stated guarantee period to automotive leasing revenue. The guarantee period expires at the earlier of the end of the guarantee period or the pay-off of the initial loan. We capitalize the cost of these vehicles on the consolidated balance sheets as operating lease vehicles, net, and depreciate their value, less salvage value, to cost of automotive leasing revenue over the same period.

In cases where a customer retains ownership of a vehicle at the end of the guarantee period, the resale value guarantee liability and any remaining deferred revenue balances related to the vehicle are settled to automotive leasing revenue and the net book value of the leased vehicle is expensed to costs of automotive leasing revenue. If a customer returns the vehicle to us during the guarantee period, we purchase the vehicle from the customer in an amount equal to the resale value guarantee and settle any remaining deferred balances to automotive leasing revenue, and we reclassify the net book value of the vehicle on our balance sheet to used vehicle inventory. As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, $279.9 million and $179.5 million, respectively, of the guarantees were exercisable by customers within a 12-month period from each such date.

Vehicle sales to leasing partners with a resale value guarantee

We also offer resale value guarantees in connection with automobile sales to certain leasing partners. As we have guaranteed the value of these vehicles and as the vehicles are leased to end-customers, we account for these transactions as interest bearing collateralized borrowings as required under ASC 840, Leases. Under this program, cash is received for the full price of the vehicle and is recorded within resale value guarantees for the long-term portion and deferred revenue for the current portion. We accrete the deferred revenue amount to automotive leasing revenue on a straight-line basis over the guarantee period and accrue interest expense based on our borrowing rate. We capitalize vehicles under this program to operating lease vehicles, net, on the consolidated balance sheets, and we record depreciation from these vehicles to cost of automotive leasing revenues during the period the vehicle is under a lease arrangement. Cash received for these vehicles, net of revenue recognized during the period, is classified as collateralized lease borrowings within cash flows from financing activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows.

At the end of the lease term, we settle our liability in cash by either purchasing the vehicle from the leasing partner for the resale value guarantee amount or paying a shortfall to the guarantee amount the leasing partner may realize on the sale of the vehicle. Any remaining balances within deferred revenue and resale value guarantee will be settled to automotive leasing revenue. In cases where the leasing partner retains ownership of the vehicle after the end of our guarantee period, we expense the net value of the leased vehicle to costs of automotive leasing revenue. The maximum amount we could be required to pay under this program, should we decide to repurchase all vehicles, was $1.18 billion and $855.9 million as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, including $263.5 million within a 12-month period from September 30, 2017.

As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we had $1.57 billion and $1.18 billion, respectively, of such borrowings recorded in resale value guarantees and $341.0 million and $289.1 million, respectively, recorded in deferred revenue liability. As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we had a total of $46.5 million and $57.0 million, respectively, in account receivables from our leasing partners.

On a quarterly basis, we assess the estimated market values of vehicles under our resale value guarantee program to determine if we have sustained a loss on any of these contracts. As we accumulate more data related to the resale values of our vehicles or as market conditions change, there may be material changes to their estimated values.

Activity related to our resale value guarantee and similar programs consisted of the following (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Operating Lease Vehicles
Operating lease vehicles— beginning of period	$	2,835,674		$	2,126,581		$	2,462,061		$	1,556,529
Net increase in operating lease vehicles		237,853			375,287			904,767			1,085,551
Depreciation expense recorded in cost of automotive leasing revenues		(96,995	)		(71,454	)		(269,012	)		(179,087	)
Additional depreciation expense recorded in cost of automotive leasing revenues as a result of early cancellation of resale value guarantee		(2,416	)		(5,509	)		(14,631	)		(11,166	)
Additional depreciation expense recorded in cost of automotive leasing revenues as a result of expiration		(32,489	)		(55,009	)		(105,378	)		(55,009	)
Increases to inventory from vehicles returned under our trade-in program and exercises of resale value guarantee		(14,700	)		(18,718	)		(50,880	)		(45,640	)
Operating lease vehicles—end of period	$	2,926,927		$	2,351,178		$	2,926,927		$	2,351,178

Deferred Revenue
Deferred revenue—beginning of period	$	1,006,600		$	851,684		$	916,652		$	679,132
Net increase in deferred revenue from new vehicle deliveries and reclassification of collateralized borrowing from long-term to short-term		155,133			188,113			559,996			574,226
Amortization of deferred revenue and short-term collateralized borrowing recorded in automotive leasing revenue		(171,763	)		(125,411	)		(474,949	)		(330,093	)
Additional revenue recorded in automotive leasing revenue as a result of early cancellation of resale value guarantee		(394	)		(1,521	)		(2,746	)		(4,333	)
Recognition of deferred revenue resulting from return of vehicle under trade-in program, expiration, and exercises of resale value guarantee		(3,118	)		(3,456	)		(12,495	)		(9,523	)
Deferred revenue—end of period	$	986,458		$	909,409		$	986,458		$	909,409

Resale Value Guarantee
Resale value guarantee liability—beginning of period	$	2,835,849		$	2,007,347		$	2,389,927		$	1,430,573
Increase in resale value guarantee		240,134			361,434			922,342			1,013,369
Reclassification from long-term to short-term collateralized borrowing		(74,252	)		(33,129	)		(189,733	)		(79,171	)
Additional revenue recorded in automotive leasing revenue as a result of early cancellation of resale value guarantee		(1,322	)		(4,291	)		(9,570	)		(10,110	)
Release of resale value guarantee resulting from return of vehicle under trade-in program and exercises		(14,372	)		(15,516	)		(54,205	)		(38,816	)
Release of resale value guarantee resulting from expiration of resale value guarantee		(32,481	)		(55,722	)		(105,205	)		(55,722	)
Resale value guarantee liability—end of period	$	2,953,556		$	2,260,123		$	2,953,556		$	2,260,123

Income Taxes

There are transactions that occur during the ordinary course of business for which the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the aggregate balances of our gross unrecognized tax benefits were $300.0 million and $203.9 million, respectively, of which $292.9 million and $198.3 million, respectively, would not give rise to changes in our effective tax rate since these tax benefits would increase a deferred tax asset that is currently fully offset by a valuation allowance.

Net Loss per Share of Common Stock Attributable to Common Stockholders

Basic net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders is calculated by dividing net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding for the period. Potentially dilutive shares, which are based on the weighted-average shares of common stock underlying outstanding stock-based awards, warrants and convertible senior notes using the treasury stock method or the if-converted method, as applicable, are included when calculating diluted net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders when their effect is dilutive. Since we expect to settle in cash the principal outstanding under the 0.25% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2019, the 1.25% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2021 and the 2.375% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2022, we use the treasury stock method when calculating their potential dilutive effect, if any. The following table presents the potentially dilutive shares that were excluded from the computation of diluted net income (loss) per share of common stock attributable to common stockholders, because their effect was anti-dilutive:

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2017		2016		2017		2016
Stock-based awards		8,855,128		5,666,686		10,177,154		16,527,336
Convertible senior notes		1,908,572		—		2,559,810		1,959,492
Warrants		414,996		—		658,345		629,782

Concentration of Risk

Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject us to a concentration of credit risk consist of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts receivable and interest rate swaps. Our cash balances are primarily invested in money market funds or on deposit at high credit quality financial institutions in the United States. At times, these deposits may be in excess of insured limits. As of September 30, 2017, no customer represented 10% or more of our total accounts receivable balance. As of December 31, 2016, one customer represented 10% or more of our total accounts receivable balance. The risk of concentration for our interest rate swaps is mitigated by transacting with several highly rated multinational banks. We maintain reserves for any amounts that we consider uncollectible.

Supply Risk

We are dependent on our suppliers, the majority of which are single source suppliers, and the inability of these suppliers to deliver necessary components of our products in a timely manner at prices, quality levels and volumes acceptable to us, or our inability to efficiently manage these components from these suppliers, could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results.

Warranties

We provide a manufacturer’s warranty on all new and certified used vehicles, production powertrain components and systems and energy products we sell. In addition, we also provide a warranty on the installation and components of the solar energy systems we sell for periods typically between 10 to 30 years. We accrue a warranty reserve for the products sold by us, which includes our best estimate of the projected costs to repair or replace items under warranty. These estimates are based on actual claims incurred to date and an estimate of the nature, frequency and costs of future claims. These estimates are inherently uncertain given our relatively short history of sales, and changes to our historical or projected warranty experience may cause material changes to the warranty reserve in the future. The warranty reserve does not include projected warranty costs associated with our vehicles subject to lease accounting and our solar energy systems under lease contracts or power purchase agreements, as the costs to repair these warranty claims are expensed as incurred. The portion of the warranty reserve expected to be incurred within the next 12 months is included within accrued liabilities and other while the remaining balance is included within other long-term liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Warranty expense is recorded as a component of cost of revenues. Accrued warranty activity consisted of the following (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Accrued warranty—beginning of period	$	343,279		$	216,459		$	266,655		$	180,754
Warranty costs incurred		(39,481	)		(16,571	)		(87,881	)		(56,734	)
Net changes in liability for pre-existing warranties, including expirations and foreign exchange impact		4,768			(19,523	)		7,239			(12,889	)
Provision for warranty		60,156			46,454			182,709			115,688
Accrued warranty—end of period	$	368,722		$	226,819		$	368,722		$	226,819

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, warranty costs incurred for vehicles accounted for as operating leases or collateralized debt arrangements were $10.8 million and $24.3 million, respectively, and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, such costs were $7.2 million and $12.3 million, respectively.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, to replace the existing revenue recognition criteria for contracts with customers. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Deferral of the Effective Date, to defer the effective date of ASU No. 2014-09 to interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. Subsequently, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08, Principal versus Agent Considerations, ASU No. 2016-10, Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, ASU No. 2016-11, Rescission of SEC Guidance Because of Accounting Standards Updates 2014-09 and 2014-16 Pursuant to Staff Announcements at the March 3, 2016 EITF Meeting, ASU No. 2016-12, Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, and ASU No. 2016-20, Technical Corrections and Improvements, to clarify and amend the guidance in ASU No. 2014-09. We currently expect to adopt the ASUs on January 1, 2018 on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative adjustment to equity. The adoption of the ASUs might accelerate the revenue recognition of certain vehicle sales to customers or leasing partners with a resale value guarantee, which may qualify to be accounted for as sales with a right of return as opposed to the current accounting as operating leases or collateralized lease borrowings. Our interpretation is subject to change as a result of future changes in market conditions, incentives or program offerings. Upon adoption of the ASUs, we currently estimate an increase to equity in the range of $550.0 million to $750.0 million, including the impact of adjusting deferred revenue for investment tax credit balances. We are continuing to assess the impact of adopting the ASUs on the consolidated financial statements, and we are continuing to adjust our accounting processes accordingly.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, to require lessees to recognize all leases, with certain exceptions, on the balance sheet, while recognition on the statement of operations will remain similar to current lease accounting. The ASU also eliminates real estate-specific provisions and modifies certain aspects of lessor accounting. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We currently expect to adopt the ASU on January 1, 2019. We will be required to recognize and measure leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented using a modified retrospective approach, with certain practical expedients available. We intend to elect the available practical expedients upon adoption. Upon adoption, we expect the consolidated balance sheet to include a right of use asset and liability related to substantially all of our lease arrangements. We are continuing to assess the impact of adopting the ASU on our financial position, results of operations and related disclosures and have not yet concluded whether the effect will be material.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-06, Contingent Put and Call Options in Debt Instruments, to clarify when a contingent put or call option to accelerate the repayment of debt is an embedded derivative. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASU is modified retrospective. We adopted the ASU on January 1, 2017, but the ASU did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, to simplify the accounting for the income tax effects from share-based compensation, the accounting for forfeitures and the accounting for statutory income tax withholding, among others. In particular, the ASU requires all income tax effects from share-based compensation to be recognized in the consolidated statement of operations when the awards vest or are settled, the ASU permits accounting for forfeitures as they occur, and the ASU permits a higher level of statutory income tax withholding without triggering liability accounting. Adoption of the ASU is modified retrospective, retrospective and prospective, depending on the specific provision being adopted. We adopted the ASU on January 1, 2017. Our gross U.S. deferred tax assets increased by $909.1 million as a result of our adoption, which was fully offset by a corresponding increase to our valuation allowance. In addition, we now account for forfeitures as they occur.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, to reduce the diversity in practice with respect to the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments on the statement of cash flows. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASU is retrospective. We plan to adopt the ASU on January 1, 2018, which will impact the classifications within the consolidated statements of cash flows.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, to require the recognition of the income tax effects from an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASU is modified retrospective. We early adopted the ASU on January 1, 2017. Our adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash, which requires entities to present the aggregate changes in cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. As a result, the statement of cash flows will be required to present restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents as a part of the beginning and ending balances of cash and cash equivalents. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASU is retrospective. We plan to adopt the ASU on January 1, 2018, which will impact the classifications within the consolidated statements of cash flows.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Clarifying the Definition of a Business, to clarify the definition of a business with the objective of assisting entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASU is prospective. We plan to adopt the ASU on January 1, 2018.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, to simplify the test for goodwill impairment by removing Step 2. An entity will, therefore, perform the goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, recognizing an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. An entity still has the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine if the quantitative impairment test is necessary. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. Adoption of the ASU is prospective. We have not yet selected an adoption date, and the ASU will have a currently undetermined impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Scope of Modification Accounting, to provide guidance on which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASU is prospective. We plan to adopt the ASU on January 1, 2018.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, to simplify the application of current hedge accounting guidance. The ASU expands and refines hedge accounting for both non-financial and financial risk components and aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of the hedging instrument and the hedged item in the financial statements. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of the ASU is generally modified retrospective. We are currently obtaining an understanding of the ASU and plan to adopt the ASU on January 1, 2019.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements.

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