Annual tax revenues to be generated end of five year.

No definition available.

Name:	tsla_AnnualTaxRevenuesToBeGeneratedEndOfFiveYear
Namespace Prefix:	tsla_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Commitments and contingencies.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tsla_CommitmentsAndContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	tsla_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Lease arrangement amount obligated to spend or incur.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tsla_LeaseArrangementAmountObligatedToSpendOrIncur
Namespace Prefix:	tsla_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Lessee operating lease capital expenditures.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tsla_LesseeOperatingLeaseCapitalExpenditures
Namespace Prefix:	tsla_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Target projects deferred period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tsla_TargetProjectsDeferredPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	tsla_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of contractual obligation, including but not limited to, long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations, purchase obligations, and other commitments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractualObligation
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Term of lessee's operating lease, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121609121&loc=SL77918673-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LesseeOperatingLeaseTermOfContract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount awarded from other party in judgment or settlement of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmountAwardedFromOtherParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=tsla_LawsuitInCourtOfChanceryOfStateOfDelawareByPurportedStockholdersOfTeslaChallengingSolarCityAcquisitionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementGeographicalAxis=country_CN
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LeaseContractualTermAxis=tsla_BuildToSuitLeaseArrangementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=tsla_ResearchFoundationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ in Millions, $ in Millions		1 Months Ended
	Sep. 16, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2020	Oct. 05, 2016 Plaintiff	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 CNY (¥)
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Letters Of Credit Outstanding Amount				$ 232
Lawsuit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware by purported stockholders of Tesla challenging SolarCity Acquisition [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of lawsuits filed \| Plaintiff			7
Received payment from litigation	$ 43
Shanghai, China [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Operating lease arrangement, initial term				50 years	50 years
Capital expenditures \| ¥					¥ 14,080
Annual tax revenues to be generated end of 2023 \| ¥					¥ 2,230
Build-to-suit Lease Arrangement [Member] \| SUNY Foundation [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Lease arrangement, amount obligated to spend or incur				$ 5,000
Contractual obligation				$ 41
Target projects deferred period		1 year