Tesla relaunches its solar-panel business: You can rent one for $50 per month

Tesla Powerwalls and Solar Roof, two of Elon Musk’s innovative strategies to get consumers onto the solar grid, require waits of six months or longer. The company says customers are hungry, but it doesn’t have the product yet. USA TODAY
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Tesla is trying to spark its solar-panel business by letting consumers rent rooftop systems rather than buy them.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the offering in a series of tweets Sunday.
The company will allow residents of six states to rent solar power systems starting at $50 a month – or $65 a month in California – for a small set-up.
Musk says consumers can cancel anytime, although Tesla’s website says there’s a $1,500 charge to remove panels and restore the roof to its previous condition.
Besides California, rentals will be offered in Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Mexico.