Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Silevo, Inc. [Member]	Tesla, Inc. [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Silevo, Inc. [Member]	Common Stock [Member] Tesla, Inc. [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member] Silevo, Inc. [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member] Tesla, Inc. [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Total Parent's Equity [Member]	Total Parent's Equity [Member] Silevo, Inc. [Member]	Total Parent's Equity [Member] Tesla, Inc. [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Subsidiaries [Member]
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 804,415			$ 10			$ 819,914			$ (202,326)	$ 617,598			$ 186,817
Beginning balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2013				91,009,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	517,471													517,471
Issuance of common stock upon acquisition		$ 137,958						$ 137,958				$ 137,958
Issuance of common stock upon acquisition, shares					2,284,000
Issuance of restricted stock units upon acquisition		$ 132						$ 132				$ 132
Purchase of capped call options	(65,203)						(65,203)				(65,203)
Stock-based compensation expense	88,936						88,936				88,936
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options for cash	$ 20,255										20,255
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options for cash, shares	349,000			3,176,000
Issuance of common stock upon vesting of restricted stock units, shares				52,000
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries	$ 2,000						2,000				2,000
Net income (loss)	(234,158)									(56,034)	(56,034)			(178,124)
Transfers to redeemable noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries	(25,248)													(25,248)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(90,974)													(90,974)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2014	1,155,584			$ 10			1,003,992			(258,360)	745,642			409,942
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2014				96,521,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	681,994													681,994
Tax benefit of stock option exercises	63,019						63,019				63,019
Stock-based compensation expense	116,585						116,585				116,585
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options for cash	$ 11,650						11,650				11,650
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options for cash, shares	105,000			951,000
Issuance of common stock upon vesting of restricted stock units, shares				392,000
Net income (loss)	$ (510,329)									(58,330)	(58,330)			(451,999)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(104,875)													(104,875)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 1,413,628			$ 10			1,195,246			(316,690)	878,566			535,062
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2015	97,900,000			97,864,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests	$ 847,979													847,979
Tax benefit of stock option exercises	(11,650)						(11,650)				(11,650)
Stock-based compensation expense	74,775		$ 485				74,775		$ 485		74,775		$ 485
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options for cash	$ 4,072						4,072				4,072
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options for cash, shares	89,000			605,000
Issuance of common stock upon vesting of restricted stock units, shares				1,150,000
Issuance of stock to settle accrued compensation	$ 631						631				631
Issuance of stock on settlement of Silevo contingent consideration	34,170						34,170				34,170
Issuance of stock on settlement of Silevo contingent consideration, Shares				1,514,000
Common stock purchased and retired			(1,297,254)			$ (10)			(1,297,244)				(1,297,254)
Common stock purchased and retired, shares						(101,133,000)
Issuance of common stock			$ 1,297,254						$ 1,297,254				$ 1,297,254
Issuance of common stock, shares						100,000
Reclassification of capped call options	3,462						3,462				3,462
Net income (loss)	(334,779)									238,774	238,774			(573,553)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(101,343)													(101,343)
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 1,931,430						$ 1,301,201			$ (77,916)	$ 1,223,285			$ 708,145
Ending balance, shares at Dec. 31, 2016	100			100,000