Acquisition of SolarCity - Schedule of Fair Value of Identified Intangible Assets and their Useful Lives (Detail) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, Approximate Fair Value	$ 86,832
Intangible assets, Approximate Fair Value	383,189
IPR&D [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, Approximate Fair Value	86,832
SolarCity [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Intangible assets, Approximate Fair Value	356,510
SolarCity [Member] \| IPR&D [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Indefinite-lived intangible assets, Approximate Fair Value	86,832
SolarCity [Member] \| Trade name [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets, Approximate Fair Value	$ 43,500
Estimated Useful Life (in years)	5 years
SolarCity [Member] \| Developed technology [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets, Approximate Fair Value	$ 113,361
Estimated Useful Life (in years)	7 years
SolarCity [Member] \| Favorable contracts and leases, net [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets, Approximate Fair Value	$ 112,817
Estimated Useful Life (in years)	15 years

Weighted average amortization period of finite-lived intangible assets acquired either individually or as part of a group of assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16265-109275

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- Definition

Fair value portion of assets, excluding financial assets, that lack physical substance, having a limited useful life.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19190-110258

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Amount of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance and having a projected indefinite period of benefit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275

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Amount before accumulated amortization of intangible assets, excluding goodwill.

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