Panasonic, Tesla team up to make solar components for SolarCity

Tokyo

TESLA Motors Inc unveiled plans to collaborate with Panasonic Corp to make solar-energy components for SolarCity Corp, bolstering Elon Musk's final push to merge the carmaker and solar company.

Production of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules for solar energy systems used by SolarCity will begin in 2017 at SolarCity's factory in Buffalo, New York, Tesla said on Sunday. The deal would be a win for Panasonic, which has shifted away from consumer electronics products to focus on housing, car information systems and car batteries.