VIE Arrangements - Carrying Values of Assets and Liabilities of Subsidiary in Consolidated Balance Sheets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 16, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 382,544		$ 504,383	$ 577,080	$ 160,080
Restricted cash		39,864		20,875
Accounts receivable - net		33,998		22,708
Rebates receivable		11,545		30,021
Inventories		342,951		217,223
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		79,925		50,946
Total current assets		902,138		997,616
Solar energy systems, leased and to be leased – net		4,375,553		2,796,796
Other assets		241,262		67,645
Property, plant and equipment – net		262,387	$ 262,387	75,464
Total assets	[1]	7,287,118		4,551,219
Current liabilities:
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		26,769		8,552
Current portion of deferred U.S. Treasury grant income		15,336		15,330
Accounts payable		364,973		237,809
Customer deposits		6,322		10,560
Current portion of deferred revenue		103,078		86,238
Current portion of long-term debt		180,048		11,781
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		1,010,491		557,408
Deferred U.S. Treasury grant income, net of current portion		382,283		397,486
Other liabilities and deferred credits		279,006		218,024
VIE's assets and liabilities [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		32,105		26,419
Restricted cash		44		106
Accounts receivable - net		10,116		6,769
Rebates receivable		6,220		25,397
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		1,740		615
Total current assets		50,225		59,306
Solar energy systems, leased and to be leased – net		2,779,363		1,581,459
Other assets		11,204		4,080
Total assets		2,840,792		1,644,845
Current liabilities:
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		26,769		8,552
Current portion of deferred U.S. Treasury grant income		6,506		6,502
Accrued and other current liabilities		598		336
Customer deposits		2,928		6,405
Current portion of deferred revenue		24,794		16,746
Total current liabilities		61,595		38,541
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		308,798		256,200
Deferred U.S. Treasury grant income, net of current portion		164,191		170,548
Other liabilities and deferred credits		28,460		10,825
Total liabilities		563,044		476,114
Silevo's Joint Venture in China [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		1,432		1,401
Restricted cash		478
Accounts receivable - net		151
Inventories		1,000		614
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		973		1,224
Total current assets		4,034		3,239
Other assets		96
Property, plant and equipment – net		21,960		24,286
Total assets		26,090		27,525
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		1,954		2,748
Accrued and other current liabilities		1,226		633
Current portion of long-term debt				9,134
Total current liabilities		3,180		12,515
Total liabilities		$ 3,180		$ 12,515

[1] SolarCity Corporation’s, or the Company’s, consolidated assets as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 include $2,866,882 and $1,672,370, respectively, being assets of variable interest entities, or VIEs, that can only be used to settle obligations of the VIEs. These assets include solar energy systems, leased and to be leased - net of $2,779,363 and $1,581,459 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; property, plant and equipment - net of $21,960 and $24,286 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; cash and cash equivalents of $33,537 and $27,820 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; inventory of $1,000 and $614 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; restricted cash, current, of $522 and $106 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; accounts receivable - net of $10,267 and $6,769 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; prepaid expenses and other current assets of $2,713 and $1,839 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; rebates receivable of $6,220 and $25,397 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; restricted cash, long-term, of $254 and $300 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; and other assets of $11,046 and $3,780 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company’s consolidated liabilities as of December 31, 2015 and 2014 included $33,475 and $27,808, respectively, being liabilities of VIEs whose creditors have no recourse to the Company. These liabilities include distributions payable to noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries and redeemable noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries of $26,769 and $8,552 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; accounts payable of $1,954 and $2,748 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; customer deposits of $2,928 and $6,405 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; accrued liabilities and other payables of $1,824 and $969 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively; and current portion of long-term debt of $0 and $9,134 as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.