--- title: "AE Solar vs Tesla - Brand Comparison | ComparePV" description: "Compare AE Solar vs Tesla solar panels: full portfolio, efficiency, cell technology breakdown, warranty terms and company background." source: "https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-tesla" --- # AE Solar vs Tesla AE Solar has the broader catalog (646 vs 0 models). AE Solar leans bifacial (63% of lineup). ## The two companies | Attribute | AE Solar | Tesla | | --- | --- | --- | | Country | Germany | USA | | Headquarters | Gersthofen | Austin | | Founded | 2003 | 2003 | | Employees | 501-1000 | 100000+ | | Annual capacity | 2+ GW/year | | | Tier 1 | yes | | | Listed | | NASDAQ: TSLA | | Website | [https://ae-solar.com](https://ae-solar.com) | [https://www.tesla.com](https://www.tesla.com) | AE Solar is a German Tier 1 manufacturer of high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) modules. The company specializes in producing durable and innovative solar panels with German engineering standards, offering solutions for residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications. AE Solar operates in over 100 countries and... Tesla, Inc. is an American multinational automotive and clean energy company headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company designs, manufactures, and sells electric vehicles, battery energy storage devices, solar panels and solar roof tiles, and related products and services. Tesla is working towards end-to-end solar... ## Catalog & Power | Measure | AE Solar | Tesla | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Panel Models | 646 | 0 | +646 | | Max Power | 730 W | 0 W | +730 W | | Avg Power | 489 W | 0 W | +489 W | ## Efficiency | Measure | AE Solar | Tesla | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Max Efficiency | 24.43% | - | | | Avg Efficiency | 21.11% | - | | ## Reliability & Warranty | Measure | AE Solar | Tesla | Margin | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Avg Temp Coefficient | -0.312%/°C | - | | | Bifacial Share | 405 (63%) | 0 (0%) | +63 pp | | Avg Warranty | 29.7 yrs | - | | ## Efficiency distribution AE Solar skews to higher efficiency: 9% of lineup is 23%+ | Efficiency band | AE Solar | Tesla | | --- | --- | --- | | \<20% | 74 (11.5%) | 0 | | 20-21% | 171 (26.5%) | 0 | | 21-22% | 142 (22.0%) | 0 | | 22-23% | 199 (30.8%) | 0 | | 23%+ | 60 (9.3%) | 0 | ## Power distribution AE Solar offers more 600W+ panels (13% of lineup) | Power band | AE Solar | Tesla | | --- | --- | --- | | \<400W | 78 (12.1%) | 0 | | 400-499W | 329 (50.9%) | 0 | | 500-599W | 154 (23.8%) | 0 | | 600-699W | 55 (8.5%) | 0 | | 700W+ | 30 (4.6%) | 0 | ## Cell technology Dominant cell tech: **TOPCon** (54%) | Technology | AE Solar | Tesla | | --- | --- | --- | | TOPCon | 349 (54.0%) | 0 | | PERC | 245 (37.9%) | 0 | | Back Contact | 21 (3.3%) | 0 | | N-type | 17 (2.6%) | 0 | | BIPV | 9 (1.4%) | 0 | | HJT | 5 (0.8%) | 0 | ## Top panels, AE Solar | # | Model | Power | Efficiency | Temp. coefficient | Technology | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | [CME-132BDS-730](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-730) | 730 | 23.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 2 | [CME-132BDS-730W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-730w) | 730 | 23.5 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 3 | [CME-132BDS-725](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-725) | 725 | 23.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 4 | [CME-132-725W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132-725w) | 725 | 23.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 5 | [CME-132BDS-725W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-725w) | 725 | 23.4 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 6 | [AE CME-132 720](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-ae-cme-132-720) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 7 | [CME-132BDS-720](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-720) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 8 | [AE CME-132-720](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-ae-cme-132-720-1) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 9 | [CME-132-720W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132-720w) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | | 10 | [CME-132BDS-720W](https://comparepv.com/panel/ae-solar-cme-132bds-720w) | 720 | 23.2 | -0.290 | Monocrystalline | ## Summary AE Solar is a solar module manufacturer headquartered in Königsbrunn, Germany, founded in 2003 by brothers Alexander, Victor, and Waldemar Maier. The company operates production facilities in Turkey, Georgia, and China, with a combined annual manufacturing capacity exceeding 2 GW. Its most significant market credential is BloombergNEF Tier 1 status, held for 17 consecutive quarters as of Q1 2026, with AE Solar recognized as Europe's sole Tier 1 PV module manufacturer. Tesla is an American technology conglomerate headquartered in Austin, Texas, whose energy division - Tesla Energy - grew well after its automotive roots were established. The company assembles solar panels at its Gigafactory in Buffalo, New York, but does not appear on BloombergNEF's Tier 1 lists, and its footprint outside the United States is very limited. On institutional credibility and global reach, AE Solar holds a clear advantage. AE Solar's product portfolio spans N-type TOPCon, HJT, and BC cell technologies, covering residential rooftop, commercial and industrial (C&I), and utility-scale ground-mount applications. Its Meteor module, built on N-type TOPCon cells, earned a five-star rating in PV Magazine's module test and the Kiwa PVEL Top Performer Award in 2025. Products are distributed across more than 95 countries through established installer networks. Tesla, by contrast, is focused almost exclusively on the US residential segment. Its current lineup includes the newly introduced TSP-415 and TSP-420 panels (launched in early 2026), Solar Roof glass tiles, and the Powerwall 3 battery. The entire Tesla offering is engineered as a closed, integrated system - an advantage for buyers already committed to the Tesla ecosystem, but a constraint for everyone else. For most international buyers, including those in Europe, AE Solar is the more practical choice: it is locally available, carries verified bankability credentials, and its product range scales from single-family rooftops to large commercial projects. Tesla makes sense primarily for US homeowners who want seamless integration between solar panels, battery storage, and existing Tesla hardware. Outside the American market, these two brands are not genuine alternatives to one another. Written by claude-sonnet from the figures above. ## Other comparisons - [AE Solar vs A.B. Energy](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-a-b-energy) - [AEET vs Tesla](https://comparepv.com/aeet-vs-tesla) - [AE Solar vs AIKO](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-aiko) - [AKCOME vs Tesla](https://comparepv.com/akcome-vs-tesla) - [AE Solar vs ARTsolar](https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-artsolar) - [ASM vs Tesla](https://comparepv.com/asm-vs-tesla) --- Source: https://comparepv.com/ae-solar-vs-tesla Not in this file, on the page: the distributions above drawn as charts.