Organization	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization	1. Organization SolarCity Corporation, or the Company, was incorporated as a Delaware corporation on June 21, 2006. The Company is primarily engaged in the design, manufacture, installation and sale or lease of solar energy systems, or sale of electricity generated by solar energy systems. The Company’s headquarters are located in San Mateo, California. On November 21, 2016, the Company was acquired by and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Tesla, Inc., or Tesla. Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, each share of the Company’s common stock then outstanding was converted into 0.11 shares of Tesla’s common stock, or the Exchange Ratio. The Company’s outstanding option and restricted stock unit awards were also converted into corresponding equity awards of Tesla’s common stock based on the Exchange Ratio, with the awards retaining the same vesting and other terms and conditions as in effect immediately prior to the merger.

Organization

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

1. Organization

SolarCity Corporation, or the Company, was incorporated as a Delaware corporation on June 21, 2006. The Company is primarily engaged in the design, manufacture, installation and sale or lease of solar energy systems, or sale of electricity generated by solar energy systems. The Company’s headquarters are located in San Mateo, California.

On November 21, 2016, the Company was acquired by and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Tesla, Inc., or Tesla. Pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, each share of the Company’s common stock then outstanding was converted into 0.11 shares of Tesla’s common stock, or the Exchange Ratio. The Company’s outstanding option and restricted stock unit awards were also converted into corresponding equity awards of Tesla’s common stock based on the Exchange Ratio, with the awards retaining the same vesting and other terms and conditions as in effect immediately prior to the merger.