v3.20.1
Debt - Summary of Debt and Finance Leases (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Dec. 31, 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 2,851 $ 1,399
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 9,479 10,402
Unpaid Principal Balance 12,971 12,492
Unused Committed Amount 2,400 2,980
Net Carrying Value Finance leases, Current 366 386
Net Carrying Value Finance leases, Long-Term 1,187 1,232
Current portion of debt and finance leases 3,217 1,785
Debt and finance leases, net of current portion 10,666 11,634
5.30% Senior Notes due in 2025 ("2025 Notes") [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 1,783 1,782
Solar asset-backed notes [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 1,139 1,155
Solar Loan-backed Notes [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 161 175
Recourse debt [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current 1,589 253
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 6,011 7,010
Unpaid Principal Balance 8,187 7,898
Unused Committed Amount 304 499
Recourse debt [Member] | 1.25% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2021 ("2021 Notes") [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current 1,320  
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term   1,304
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 1,380 $ 1,380
Contractual Interest Rates 1.25% 1.25%
Contractual Maturity Date 2021-03 2021-03
Recourse debt [Member] | 2.375% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2022 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term $ 910 $ 902
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 978 $ 978
Contractual Interest Rates 2.375% 2.375%
Contractual Maturity Date 2022-03 2022-03
Recourse debt [Member] | 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2024 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term $ 1,405 $ 1,383
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 1,840 $ 1,840
Contractual Interest Rates 2.00% 2.00%
Contractual Maturity Date 2024-05 2024-05
Recourse debt [Member] | 5.30% Senior Notes due in 2025 ("2025 Notes") [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term $ 1,783 $ 1,782
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 1,800 $ 1,800
Contractual Interest Rates 5.30% 5.30%
Contractual Maturity Date 2025-08 2025-08
Recourse debt [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 158 $ 141
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 1,861 1,586
Unpaid Principal Balance 2,019 1,727
Unused Committed Amount $ 304 $ 499
Contractual Maturity Date, Start 2020-06 2020-06
Contractual Maturity Date, End 2023-07 2023-07
Recourse debt [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 1.80% 2.70%
Recourse debt [Member] | Credit Agreement [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 3.30% 4.80%
Recourse debt [Member] | Zero-Coupon Convertible Senior Notes due in 2020 [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 99 $ 97
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 103 $ 103
Contractual Interest Rates 0.00% 0.00%
Contractual Maturity Date 2020-12 2020-12
Recourse debt [Member] | Solar Bonds and other Loans [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 12 $ 15
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 52 53
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 67 $ 70
Contractual Maturity Date, Start 2020-04 2020-03
Contractual Maturity Date, End 2031-01 2031-01
Recourse debt [Member] | Solar Bonds and other Loans [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 3.60% 3.60%
Recourse debt [Member] | Solar Bonds and other Loans [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 5.80% 5.80%
Non-recourse debt [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 1,262 $ 1,146
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 3,468 3,392
Unpaid Principal Balance 4,784 4,594
Unused Committed Amount 2,096 2,481
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Warehouse Agreements [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current 68 21
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 458 146
Unpaid Principal Balance 526 167
Unused Committed Amount $ 574 $ 933
Contractual Maturity Date 2021-09 2021-09
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Warehouse Agreements [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 3.00% 3.10%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Warehouse Agreements [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 3.30% 3.60%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | China Loan Agreements [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 338 $ 444
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 418 297
Unpaid Principal Balance 756 741
Unused Committed Amount $ 1,522 $ 1,542
Contractual Maturity Date, Start 2020-09 2020-09
Contractual Maturity Date, End 2024-12 2024-12
Non-recourse debt [Member] | China Loan Agreements [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 3.70% 3.70%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | China Loan Agreements [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 4.00% 4.00%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Canada Credit Facility [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 20 $ 24
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 10 16
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 30 $ 40
Contractual Maturity Date 2022-11 2022-11
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Canada Credit Facility [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 4.20% 4.20%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Canada Credit Facility [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 5.90% 5.90%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar Term Loans [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 158 $ 8
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term   152
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 158 $ 161
Contractual Interest Rates 5.30% 5.40%
Contractual Maturity Date 2021-01 2021-01
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar asset-backed notes [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 37 $ 32
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 1,102 1,123
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 1,167 $ 1,183
Contractual Maturity Date, Start 2024-09 2024-09
Contractual Maturity Date, End 2048-02 2048-02
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar asset-backed notes [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 4.00% 4.00%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar asset-backed notes [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 7.70% 7.70%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Cash Equity Debt [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 10 $ 10
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 427 430
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 450 $ 454
Contractual Maturity Date, Start 2033-07 2033-07
Contractual Maturity Date, End 2035-01 2035-01
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Cash Equity Debt [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 5.30% 5.30%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Cash Equity Debt [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 5.80% 5.80%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Automotive Asset-backed Notes [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 604 $ 573
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 837 997
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 1,447 $ 1,577
Contractual Maturity Date, Start 2020-05 2020-02
Contractual Maturity Date, End 2023-05 2023-05
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Automotive Asset-backed Notes [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 2.00% 2.00%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Automotive Asset-backed Notes [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 7.90% 7.90%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar Loan-backed Notes [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 12 $ 11
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 149 164
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 168 $ 182
Contractual Maturity Date, Start 2048-09 2048-09
Contractual Maturity Date, End 2049-09 2049-09
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar Loan-backed Notes [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 4.80% 4.80%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar Loan-backed Notes [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 7.50% 7.50%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar Renewable Energy Credit and other Loans [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Net Carrying Value, Current $ 15 $ 23
Net Carrying Value, Long-Term 67 67
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 82 89
Unused Committed Amount   $ 6
Contractual Maturity Date, Start 2020-06 2020-03
Contractual Maturity Date, End 2022-06 2022-06
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar Renewable Energy Credit and other Loans [Member] | Minimum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 4.30% 4.50%
Non-recourse debt [Member] | Solar Renewable Energy Credit and other Loans [Member] | Maximum [Member]    
Debt Instrument [Line Items]    
Contractual Interest Rates 7.30% 7.40%