| Pay vs Performance Disclosure number in Thousands | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure, Table | Year Summary (1) Compensation (2) Average (3) Average (4) Value of Initial Fixed $100 GAAP Net (7) Product and (8) Total (5) Peer Group (6) 2023 1,704,008 (2,904,929) 2,781,556 (394,261) 198.13 174.51 (302,116) 1,158,300 2022 2,632,248 (1,564,752) 4,924,026 4,429,158 255.96 193.70 (301,408) 1,031,618 2021 34,210,000 45,039,705 5,309,245 4,000,340 293.57 277.30 (164,445) 807,696 2020 6,848,915 49,829,957 1,996,900 9,054,716 383.67 284.83 (157,553) 628,266 | | | |
| Company Selected Measure Name | Product and Service Revenue | | | |
| Named Executive Officers, Footnote | The dollar amounts reported are the amounts of total compensation reported in our Summary Compensation Table for our PEO, KR Sridhar, for each of 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020. | | | |
| Peer Group Issuers, Footnote | Represents the weighted peer group TSR, weighted according to the respective companies’ stock market capitalization at the beginning of each period for which a return is indicated. The peer group used for this purpose is the following published industry index: Nasdaq Clean Edge Green Energy Total Return Index. | | | |
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 1,704,008 | $ 2,632,248 | $ 34,210,000 | $ 6,848,915 |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 2,904,929 | 1,564,752 | 45,039,705 | 49,829,957 |
| Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote | Year Reported Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO Deduct Reported Value of Equity Awards (a) Add (or Deduct) Equity Award Adjustments (b) Compensation 2023 1,704,008 0 (4,608,937) (2,904,929) The equity award adjustments for each applicable year include the addition (or subtraction, as applicable) of the following: (i) the year-end fair value of any equity awards granted in the applicable year that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the year; (ii) the amount of change as of the end of the applicable year (from the end of the prior fiscal year) in fair value of any awards granted in prior years that are outstanding and unvested as of the end of the applicable year; (iii) for awards that are granted and vest in the same applicable year, the fair value as of the vesting date; (iv) for awards granted in prior years that vest in the applicable year, the amount equal to the change as of the vesting date (from the end of the prior fiscal year) in fair value; (v) for awards granted in prior years that are determined to fail to meet the applicable vesting conditions during the applicable year, a deduction for the amount equal to the fair value at the end of the prior fiscal year; and (vi) the dollar value of any dividends or other earnings paid on stock or option awards in the applicable year prior to the vesting date that are not otherwise reflected in the fair value of such award or included in any other component of total compensation for the applicable year. The valuation assumptions used to calculate fair values did not materially differ from those disclosed at the time of grant. The amounts deducted or added in calculating the equity award adjustments are as follows: Year Year End Fair Value of Outstanding and Unvested Equity Awards Granted in Year over Year Change in Fair Value as of Vesting Date of Equity Awards Granted and Vested in Year over Year Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted Fair Value at the End of the Prior Year of Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions in the Year Value of Dividends or other Earnings Paid on Stock or Option Awards not Otherwise Reflected in Total Equity Award Adjustments 2023 0 (5,093,298) 0 484,362 0 0 (4,608,937) | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 2,781,556 | 4,924,026 | 5,309,245 | 1,996,900 |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ 394,261 | 4,429,158 | 4,000,340 | 9,054,716 |
| Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote | The dollar amounts reported represent the average amount of “compensation actually paid” to the NEOs as a group (excluding our CEO), as computed in accordance with SEC rules. The dollar amounts do not reflect the actual average amount of compensation earned by or paid to the NEOs as a group (excluding our CEO) during the applicable year. In accordance with the SEC rules, the following adjustments were made to average total compensation for the NEOs as a group (excluding our CEO) for each year to determine the compensation actually paid, using the same methodology described above in Note 2: Year Average Reported Deduct Reported Value of Add (or Deduct) Average Equity Award (a) Average 2023 2,781,556 (2,146,080) (1,029,736) (394,261) (a) T he amounts deducted or added in calculating the total average equity award adjustments are as follows: Year Average Year End Fair Year over Average Year over Year Average Fair Average Value Total Average Equity Award Adjustments 2023 340,400 (303,198) 0 64,574 (1,131,513) 0 (1,029,736) | | | |
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return | | | | |
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income | | | | |
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Company Selected Measure | | | | |
| Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 198.13 | 255.96 | 293.57 | 383.67 |
| Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Amount | 174.51 | 193.7 | 277.3 | 284.83 |
| Net Income (Loss) | $ (302,116,000) | $ (301,408,000) | $ (164,445,000) | $ (157,553,000) |
| Company Selected Measure Amount | 1,158,300 | 1,031,618 | 807,696 | 628,266 |
| PEO Name | KR Sridhar | | | |
| Additional 402(v) Disclosure | The dollar amounts reported represent the amount of “compensation actually paid,” as computed in accordance with SEC rules. The dollar amounts do not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid during the applicable year. In accordance with SEC rules, the following adjustments were made to total compensation to determine the compensation actually paid: The grant date fair value of equity awards represents the total of the amounts reported in the “Stock Awards” and “Option Awards” columns in the Summary Compensation Table for the applicable year. The dollar amounts reported represent the average of the amounts reported for the Company’s NEOs as a group (excluding our CEO) in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table in each applicable year. The names of each of the NEOs (excluding our CEO) included for purposes of calculating the average amounts in each applicable year are as follows: (i) for 2023, Messrs. Cameron, Brooks, and Griffiths and Mses. Moore and Soderberg; (ii) for 2022, Messrs. Cameron and Griffiths, Mses. Moore and Soderberg; (iiI) for 2021, Messrs. Cameron, Griffiths, Brooks, and Venkataraman; and (iv) for 2020, Messrs. Cameron, Venkataraman, and Furr, and Mses. Brennan and Soderberg. In 2023, Mr. Brooks, Mr. Griffiths, and Ms. Moore each received compensation for a portion of the year given their departures; as a result, average summary compensation for the non-PEO NEOs was considerably lower than in a typical year. Cumulative TSR is calculated by dividing the sum of the cumulative amount of dividends for the measurement period, assuming dividend reinvestment, and the difference between the Company’s share price at the end of each fiscal year shown and the beginning of the measurement period by the Company’s share price at the beginning of the measurement period. The beginning of the measurement period for each year in the table is December 31, 2019. The dollar amounts reported represent the amount of net income (loss) reflected in the Company’s audited financial statements for the applicable year (net income (loss) before portion attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interest and noncontrolling interest). The Company-selected measure is Product and Service Revenue, as described in our “ Compensation Discussion and Analysis ” section of this Proxy Statement above. | | | |
| PEO | Equity Awards Reported Value [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | $ 0 | | | |
| PEO | Equity Award Adjustments [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 4,608,937 | | | |
| PEO | Equity Awards Granted During the Year, Unvested [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 0 | | | |
| PEO | Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years, Unvested [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 5,093,298 | | | |
| PEO | Equity Awards Granted During the Year, Vested [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 0 | | | |
| PEO | Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years, Vested [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 484,362 | | | |
| PEO | Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 0 | | | |
| PEO | Equity Awards, Value of Dividends and Other Earnings Paid Adjustment [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 0 | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO | Equity Awards Reported Value [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 2,146,080 | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO | Equity Award Adjustments [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 1,029,736 | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO | Equity Awards Granted During the Year, Unvested [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 340,400 | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO | Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years, Unvested [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 303,198 | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO | Equity Awards Granted During the Year, Vested [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 0 | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO | Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years, Vested [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 64,574 | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO | Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 1,131,513 | | | |
| Non-PEO NEO | Equity Awards, Value of Dividends and Other Earnings Paid Adjustment [Member] | | | | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure | | | | |
| Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | $ 0 | | | |
