The Model 3 will use some of the same glass technology that Tesla is using for its solar roof shingles, CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday during a conference call regarding the financial details of a SolarCity merger, which shareholders will vote on November 17.
Musk said that Tesla now has a special glass technology group and that the new division is focused on developing the technology for the solar roof Tesla unveiled with SolarCity last Friday.
He added that the Model 3 will incorpoate that same glass technology being used in the solar roof, but didn’t elaborate further.
“It is using a lot of techniques from the automotive glass business and, in case it wasn’t obvious with the announcement, Tesla has created a glass technology group with some really phenomenol people,” Musk said on the call.
Musk did offer some additional insight about the glass in a tweet Friday night. He said the glass can incorporate heating elements to clear snow while generating energy. He added that the glass wouldn’t waste energy while using said heating elements, adding it would be “strongly net positive.”
Tesla could then be using the glass for a number of things, like a solar roof for the Model 3 or to make its windshield.
Solar glass tiles can also incorporate heating elements, like rear defroster on a car, to clear roof of snow and keep generating energy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 29, 2016
strongly net positive
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 29, 2016