v3.19.3.a.u2
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)
 12 Months Ended
Oct. 17, 2014
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2019
USD ($)
Customer
Dec. 31, 2018
USD ($)
Customer
Dec. 31, 2017
USD ($)
Jan. 01, 2019
USD ($)
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Reduction in automotive sales revenues from buyback options   $ 555,000,000      
Reduction in cost of automotive sales from buyback options   451,000,000      
Reduction in gross profit from buyback options   104,000,000      
Total sales return reserve from buyback options   639,000,000      
Sales return reserve from short term buyback options   93,000,000      
Deferred revenue recognized out of prior period balance   220,000,000 $ 81,000,000    
Deferred revenue recognized in next 12 months   751,000,000      
Deferred revenue recognized   (300,000,000) (112,000,000)    
Deferred revenue   1,472,000,000 883,000,000 $ 476,000,000  
Leasing revenue recognized   869,000,000 883,000,000 1,107,000,000  
Maximum repurchase price of vehicles under resale value arrangement   214,000,000 480,000,000    
Resale value exercisable by leasing partners   178,000,000      
Resale value guarantees, current portion sales to customers   115,000,000 150,000,000    
Resale value guarantees, lease revenue recognized   150,000,000 $ 158,000,000    
Right-of-use ("ROU") assets for operating leases   1,218,000,000      
Lease liabilities for operating leases   1,184,000,000      
Increase in net loss attributable to common stockholders   $ 8,000,000      
Number of customers with known disputes or collection issues | Customer   0      
Number of customers with material non-accrual or past due notes receivable | Customer   0      
Number of years for loans payable   30 years      
Number of customers representing more than ten percentage of accounts receivable | Customer   0 0    
Accounts receivable from OEM customers excess percentage   10.00% 10.00%    
Total cost of operating lease vehicles   $ 2,850,000,000 $ 2,550,000,000    
Accumulated depreciation related to leased vehicles   $ 406,000,000 458,000,000    
Operating lease description   were accounted for as operating leases in accordance with ASC 840. Under ASC 840, to determine lease classification, we evaluated the lease terms to determine whether there was a transfer of ownership or bargain purchase option at the end of the lease, whether the lease term was greater than 75% of the useful life or whether the present value of the minimum lease payments exceeded 90% of the fair value at lease inception. As discussed in the Leases section above,      
Minimum percentage of useful life for lease term   75.00%      
Percentage of minimum lease payment of fair value   90.00%      
Impairment of goodwill   $ 0 0 0  
Gains (losses) from foreign currency transaction   48,000,000 2,000,000 (52,000,000)  
Assets   34,309,000,000 29,740,000,000    
Liabilities   $ 26,199,000,000 $ 23,427,000,000    
0.25% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2019 ("2019 Notes") [Member] | Recourse debt [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   0.25% 0.25%    
Maturity year   2019      
1.25% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2021 ("2021 Notes") [Member] | Recourse debt [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   1.25% 1.25%    
Maturity year   2021      
2.375% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2022 [Member] | Recourse debt [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   2.375% 2.375%    
Maturity year   2022      
2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2024 [Member] | Recourse debt [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   2.00%      
Maturity year   2024      
5.50% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2022 [Member] | Recourse debt [Member] | Maxwell Technologies, Inc. [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   5.50%      
Maturity year   2022      
Adoption of ASU 2016-02 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Right-of-use ("ROU") assets for operating leases         $ 1,286,000,000
Lease liabilities for operating leases         1,240,000,000
De-recognition of build-to-suit lease assets         1,620,000,000
De-recognition of build-to-suit lease liabilities         1,740,000,000
Assets         473,000,000
Liabilities         570,000,000
Adoption of ASU 2016-02 [Member] | Build-to-suit Lease Arrangement [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Increase (decrease) in accumulated deficit and additional paid-in-capital         97,000,000
Adoption of ASU 2016-02 [Member] | Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Asset [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
New accounting pronouncement or change in accounting principle         142,000,000
Adoption of ASU 2016-02 [Member] | Other Liability [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
New accounting pronouncement or change in accounting principle         70,000,000
Adoption of ASU 2016-02 [Member] | Accumulated Deficit [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
New accounting pronouncement or change in accounting principle         $ 97,000,000
Customer payments [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue   $ 226,000,000 $ 225,000,000    
Customer payments [Member] | Energy Generation and Storage [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue recognized in next 12 months   5,000,000      
Deferred revenue recognized   41,000,000 41,000,000    
Deferred revenue   156,000,000 149,000,000    
Unbilled transaction price allocated to performance obligations, expected of more than one year   103,000,000      
Rebates and Incentives [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue   36,000,000 37,000,000    
Sales To Leasing Companies With Guarantee [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue   29,000,000 93,000,000    
Leasing revenue recognized   186,000,000 332,000,000    
Resale value guarantee   238,000,000 558,000,000    
Net carrying amount of operating lease vehicles   $ 190,000,000 469,000,000    
Gigafactory Nevada [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Incentive beginning period   Oct. 17, 2014      
Incentive ending period   Jun. 30, 2024      
Capital investments $ 3,500,000,000        
Deferred lease revenue [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue   $ 532,000,000 393,000,000 221,000,000  
Leasing revenue recognized   $ 218,000,000 110,000,000    
Maximum [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Direct lease term   48 months      
Tax credit amount   $ 195,000,000 195,000,000    
Maximum [Member] | Gigafactory Nevada [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Maximum eligible amount of transferable tax credits $ 195,000,000        
Automotive Regulatory Credits [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Revenue from sales   594,000,000 419,000,000 360,000,000  
Deferred revenue recognized   $ 140,000,000 0    
Deferred revenue, recognition period   12 months      
Marketing, Promotional and Advertising Costs [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Marketing, promotional and advertising costs   $ 27,000,000 32,000,000 37,000,000  
Vehicles [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Net carrying amount of operating lease vehicles   $ 83,000,000 212,000,000    
Solar energy systems leased and to be leased [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Estimated useful lives   30 years      
Solar energy systems leased and to be leased [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Estimated useful lives   1 year      
Internal-use software [Member] | Maximum [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Estimated useful lives   10 years      
Internal-use software [Member] | Minimum [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Estimated useful lives   3 years      
Solar Energy Systems [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Product warranty description   we also provide a warranty on the installation and components of the energy generation and storage systems we sell for periods typically between 10 to 25 years.      
Operating Lease Vehicles [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Net carrying amount of operating lease vehicles   $ 2,447,000,000 2,090,000,000    
Warranty costs incurred for operating lease vehicles collateralized debt arrangements   $ 20,000,000 $ 22,000,000 $ 36,000,000