VIE Arrangements - Carrying Values of Assets and Liabilities of Subsidiary in Consolidated Balance Sheets (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 290,710	$ 382,544	$ 504,383	$ 577,080
Restricted cash		74,717	39,864
Accounts receivable - net		66,949	33,998
Rebates receivable		10,339	11,545
Inventories		172,713	342,951
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		77,497	79,925
Total current assets		692,925	902,138
Solar energy systems, leased and to be leased – net		5,828,755	4,375,553
Other assets		345,145	241,262
Property, plant and equipment – net		244,736	262,387
Total assets	[1]	9,130,756	7,287,118
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		207,643	364,973
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		24,085	26,769
Current portion of deferred U.S. Treasury grant income		14,348	15,336
Current portion of deferred revenue		124,722	103,078
Current portion of long-term debt		617,588	180,048
Total current liabilities		1,519,307	1,193,362
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		1,086,417	1,010,491
Long-term debt, net of current portion		1,092,426	1,006,595
Deferred U.S. Treasury grant income, net of current portion		343,264	382,283
Other liabilities and deferred credits		339,951	279,006
VIE's assets and liabilities [Member]
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		44,091	32,105
Restricted cash		20,916	44
Accounts receivable - net		16,023	10,116
Rebates receivable		6,646	6,220
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		7,532	1,740
Total current assets		95,208	50,225
Solar energy systems, leased and to be leased – net		3,975,214	2,779,363
Other assets		63,050	11,204
Total assets		4,133,472	2,840,792
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable		20
Distributions payable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interests		24,085	26,769
Current portion of deferred U.S. Treasury grant income		6,506	6,506
Accrued and other current liabilities		8,524	598
Customer deposits		1,169	2,928
Current portion of deferred revenue		44,050	24,794
Current portion of long-term debt		87,467
Total current liabilities		171,821	61,595
Deferred revenue, net of current portion		394,920	308,798
Long-term debt, net of current portion		475,537
Deferred U.S. Treasury grant income, net of current portion		157,665	164,191
Other liabilities and deferred credits		92,410	28,460
Total liabilities		$ 1,292,353	$ 563,044

[1] SolarCity Corporation’s, or the Company’s, consolidated assets as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 included $4,133,472 and $2,866,882, respectively, of assets of variable interest entities, or VIEs, that can only be used to settle obligations of the VIEs. These assets included solar energy systems, leased and to be leased – net of $3,975,214 and $2,779,363 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; property, plant and equipment – net of $0 and $21,960 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; cash and cash equivalents of $44,091 and $33,537 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; inventory of $0 and $1,000 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; restricted cash, current, of $20,916 and $522 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; accounts receivable – net of $16,023 and $10,267 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; prepaid expenses and other current assets of $7,532 and $2,713 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; rebates receivable of $6,646 and $6,220 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; and other assets of $63,050 and $11,300 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company’s consolidated liabilities as of December 31, 2016 and 2015 included $596,802 and $33,475, respectively, of liabilities of VIEs whose creditors have no recourse to the Company. These liabilities included distributions payable to noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries and redeemable noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries of $24,085 and $26,769 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; accounts payable of $20 and $1,954 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; customer deposits of $1,169 and $2,928 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; accrued liabilities and other payables of $8,524 and $1,824 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; current portion of long-term debt of $87,467 and $0 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively; and long-term debt, net of current portion, of $475,537 and $0 as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.