• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

How a Combined Tesla & SolarCity Could Save $150 Million in a Year

By
Katie Fehrenbacher
Katie Fehrenbacher
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Katie Fehrenbacher
Katie Fehrenbacher
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 1, 2016, 12:10 PM ET

Combining electric car maker Tesla and solar installer SolarCity could save $150 million or more in its first full year after closing, said the companies and Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday.

The $2.6 billion deal, which was first announced in late June and would create a company that sells solar panels, batteries, and electric cars under one roof, is still subject to a vote by the companies’ independent shareholders, as well as a regulatory review.

There’s also a 45-day period where SolarCity (SCTY) can receive and review competitive acquisition offers.

But on Monday, the companies said that their independent board committees had recommended and reached an agreement on the deal.

The agreement assumes that merging the two energy firms would reduce $150 million of costs within the first year due to combined sales and marketing, installers, retail locations, manufacturing assets, and software, as well as creating efficiencies in the supply chains of the companies.

For a look inside Tesla’s Gigafactory, watch:

Tesla retail stores would sell solar panels, said Musk, and would help reduce SolarCity’s costs for customer acquisition. It can be an expensive and lengthy process to convince a customer to buy solar panels.

Musk said on a call on Monday morning that as the companies get integrated, he thought a savings of between $150 million and $200 million in the first full year after closing was “conservative.” “I think we will significantly exceed that [savings] even in the first year,” said Musk.

A combined company would have one sales process, one installation process, one services contact, and one phone app to monitor things, explained Musk. Tesla’s CFO Jason Wheeler described the combination as “one trip by one truck for three products,” including solar, storage, and home charging for vehicles.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Tesla (TSLA) and SolarCity also share some common components, like for example inverters, which convert direct current produced by solar panels into alternating current to be used by a home or directed onto the power grid. When energy comes out of a battery it’s also in the form of direct current.

In addition, Musk and the team think that Tesla can help SolarCity reduce its costs through aiding the solar company in manufacturing.

Tesla has spent years producing its Model S and X cars, and is now building its massive battery factory outside of Reno, Nevada. In contrast, SolarCity has just started on trying to be a manufacturer through its planned factory under construction in upstate New York.

Last year Tesla officially launched its energy division, selling batteries that can be connected to buildings and the power grid. Before that Tesla and SolarCity had been experimenting with combining solar panels and batteries for years.

Musk has said that he thinks a combined Tesla and SolarCity could create a trillion-dollar company.

SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive, who is Musk’s cousin, said on a call on Monday, that he predicts that in three to five years all solar systems would be sold with batteries.

If the deal is approved by independent shareholders, and regulators, it would be expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2016. SolarCity could also receive an attractive deal of over $2.6 billion within the next 45 days.

About the Author
By Katie Fehrenbacher
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Middle EastIran
Trump gives Iran 48 hours on Hormuz, threatens power plants
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy and BloombergMarch 21, 2026
7 hours ago
Middle EastIran
Israel says ‘war is not close to ending’ as its nuclear research center is targeted for first time, hours after Iranian enrichment site was hit
By Samy Magdy, Melanie Lidman, Jill Lawless and The Associated PressMarch 21, 2026
8 hours ago
AIOpenAI
OpenAI plans to almost double its headcount this year, FT says
By Liza Tetley and BloombergMarch 21, 2026
8 hours ago
Arts & EntertainmentMusic
BTS begins comeback tour to reclaim status as one of the world’s biggest pop acts after completing Korea’s mandatory military service
By Juwon Park, Kim Tong-Hyung, Hyung-Jin Kim and The Associated PressMarch 21, 2026
8 hours ago
Middle EastIran
U.S. allows sale of stranded Iran oil to cap fuel-price rises
By Se Young Lee, Millie Munshi, Yongchang Chin and BloombergMarch 21, 2026
8 hours ago
Politicsarms, weapons, and defense
The U.S. has the world’s most advanced military, but the unforgiving economics of wars in Iran and Ukraine show quantity has a quality all its own 
By Jason MaMarch 21, 2026
9 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.