Which company did Tesla acquire in 2016 to expand into solar energy?

Tesla acquired SolarCity in 2016 to expand its energy business into solar power.

SolarCity was founded in 2006 by brothers Lyndon Rive and Peter Rive, with Elon Musk serving as chairman. The company became one of the largest residential solar-energy providers in the United States by installing and financing solar systems for customers. Tesla completed its acquisition of SolarCity in November 2016 in an all-stock transaction valued at about $2.6 billion.

After the acquisition, SolarCity’s operations were integrated into Tesla’s energy division. The deal connected Tesla’s electric vehicles and batteries with solar generation, supporting the company’s stated goal of producing, storing, and using renewable electricity.

The acquisition was controversial because Musk was chairman of both companies and because SolarCity faced financial pressure at the time. SolarCity was not a battery manufacturer or a Tesla vehicle division; it was a solar-energy services company before the acquisition.