Tesla offers to buy solar panel maker SolarCity in deal up to $2.8 billion

(Reuters) - Elon Musk's Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) said on Tuesday it has made an offer to acquire solar panel maker SolarCity Corp (SCTY.O) in an all-stock deal worth as much as $2.8 billion, as the electric car maker looks to expand its clean energy business.

Musk, who is also the chairman and principal shareholder of SolarCity, described the deal as "no brainer" in a call with reporters.

He said the acquisition of SolarCity would transform Tesla into "the world's only vertically integrated energy company offering end-to-end clean energy products to our customers," from solar panels and home storage batteries to electric vehicles.

Tesla shares plunged more than 10 percent to $195.35 in extended trading on Tuesday -- amounting to a loss in value of about $3.7 billion. SolarCity shares rose about 23 percent to $26.13.

Musk, who owns 19 percent of Tesla and 22 percent of SolarCity, said he would recuse himself from voting on the deal.

Tesla said it offered $26.50 to $28.50 per share for SolarCity, which represents a premium of about 25 percent to 35 percent to the company's Tuesday close of $21.19. That values the deal at about $2.6 billion to $2.8 billion overall.

Tesla makes premium electric vehicles that sell for about $70,000 to $150,000, as well as home battery storage units. SolarCity is the No. 1 residential solar company in the United States.

(Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru, Paul Lienert in Detroit and Nichola Groom in Los Angeles; Editing by Bill Rigby and Sandra Maler)