v3.20.4
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)
 12 Months Ended
Jan. 01, 2021
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2020
USD ($)
Customer
Dec. 31, 2019
USD ($)
Customer
Dec. 31, 2018
USD ($)
Jan. 01, 2020
USD ($)
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Reduction in automotive sales revenues from buyback options   $ 72,000,000      
Reduction in cost of automotive sales from buyback options   42,000,000      
Reduction in gross profit from buyback options   30,000,000      
Total sales return reserve from buyback options   703,000,000 $ 639,000,000    
Sales return reserve from short term buyback options   202,000,000 93,000,000    
Deferred revenue recognized out of prior period balance   283,000,000 220,000,000    
Deferred revenue recognized in next 12 months   1,130,000,000      
Revenue recognized   (326,000,000) (300,000,000)    
Deferred revenue   1,926,000,000 1,472,000,000 $ 883,000,000  
Leasing revenue recognized   1,052,000,000 869,000,000 883,000,000  
Maximum repurchase price of vehicles under resale value arrangement   42,000,000 214,000,000    
Resale value exercisable by leasing partners   $ 23,000,000      
Sales-type lease term   48 months      
Sales-type leasing revenue   $ 120,000,000      
Sales-type leasing cost of revenue   $ 87,000,000      
Number of years for loans payable   30 years      
Allowance for credit losses   $ 45,000,000      
MyPower customer notes receivable, net of allowance for credit losses   334,000,000 402,000,000    
MyPower customer notes receivable, net of allowance for credit losses, current   9,000,000 $ 9,000,000    
Past due notes receivable   0      
Non-accrual notes receivable   $ 0      
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%    
Gross cost of operating lease vehicles   $ 3,540,000,000 $ 2,850,000,000    
Net accumulated depreciation related to leased vehicles   $ 446,000,000 406,000,000    
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.      
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  
Net gains (losses) from foreign currency transaction   (114,000,000) 48,000,000 2,000,000  
Capitalized interest   $ 48,000,000 $ 31,000,000    
Software and Software Development Costs          
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   a warranty on the installation and components of the energy generation and storage systems we sell for periods typically between 10 to 25 years.      
Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adopted   true      
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adoption date   Jan. 01, 2020      
Change in accounting principle accounting standards update immaterial effect   false      
Accounting Standards Update 2020-06 [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Adjustments to additional paid in capital equity conversion component of convertible debt $ 475,000,000        
Debt discounts 269,000,000        
Capitalized interest 45,000,000        
Accounting Standards Update 2017-04 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adopted   true      
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adoption date   Jan. 01, 2020      
Change in accounting principle accounting standards update immaterial effect   false      
Accounting Standards Update 2018-15 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adopted   true      
Change in accounting principle, accounting standards update, adoption date   Jan. 01, 2020      
Change in accounting principle accounting standards update immaterial effect   false      
Cumulative Effect Period Of Adoption Adjustment [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2016-13 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Allowance for credit losses         $ 37,000,000
2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2024 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate     2.00%    
Adjustments to additional paid in capital equity conversion component of convertible debt     $ (491,000,000)    
Convertible Senior Notes [Member] | Accounting Standards Update 2020-06 [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Reduction in convertible debt $ 50,000,000        
Recourse debt [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
(Decrease) in net income (increase) in net loss attributable to common stockholders   $ 31,000,000 $ 8,000,000    
Recourse debt [Member] | 0.25% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2019 ("2019 Notes") [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   0.25%      
Maturity year   2019      
Recourse debt [Member] | 1.25% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2021 ("2021 Notes") [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   1.25% 1.25%    
Maturity year   2021      
Recourse debt [Member] | 2.375% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2022 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   2.375% 2.375%    
Maturity year   2022      
Recourse debt [Member] | 5.50% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2022 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   5.50%      
Maturity year   2022      
Recourse debt [Member] | 2.00% Convertible Senior Notes due in 2024 [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Interest Rate   2.00% 2.00%    
Maturity year   2024      
Customer Payments [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue   $ 206,000,000 $ 226,000,000    
Customer Payments [Member] | Energy Generation and Storage [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue recognized in next 12 months   6,000,000      
Revenue recognized   34,000,000 41,000,000    
Deferred revenue   187,000,000 156,000,000    
Unbilled transaction price allocated to performance obligations, expected of more than one year   100,000,000      
Rebates and Incentives [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue   29,000,000 36,000,000    
Sales To Leasing Companies With Guarantee [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue   11,000,000 29,000,000    
Leasing revenue recognized   77,000,000 186,000,000 332,000,000  
Resale value guarantee   42,000,000 238,000,000    
Net carrying amount of operating lease vehicles   $ 43,000,000 190,000,000    
Gigafactory Texas with Travis [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Agreement term   20 years      
Grant funding amount received   $ 0      
Gigafactory Texas With Del Valle Independent School [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Agreement term   10 years      
Maximum [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Direct lease term   48 months      
Sales-type lease term   72 months      
Tax credit amount   $ 195,000,000 195,000,000    
Maximum [Member] | Solar energy systems leased and to be leased [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Estimated useful lives   30 years      
Maximum [Member] | Gigafactory Nevada [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Maximum eligible amount of transferable tax credits   $ 195,000,000.0      
Maximum [Member] | Gigafactory Texas with Travis [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Grant funding equal percentage on property taxes paid by us   80.00%      
Minimum [Member] | Solar energy systems leased and to be leased [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Estimated useful lives   1 year      
Minimum [Member] | Gigafactory Texas with Travis [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Grant funding equal percentage on property taxes paid by us   70.00%      
Deferred lease revenue [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Deferred revenue   $ 752,000,000 532,000,000 393,000,000  
Leasing revenue recognized   293,000,000 218,000,000    
Automotive Regulatory Credits [Member]          
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]          
Revenues   1,580,000,000 594,000,000 $ 419,000,000  
Revenue recognized   $ 21,000,000 $ 140,000,000    
Deferred revenue, recognition period   12 months