In a quest to reduce production costs and complexity, Tesla decided to drop the right-hand-drive option from the Model S and X. The EVs will still be available in the UK market, although exclusively in left-hand-drive form, but won’t reach Australia at all.
A representative of the automaker told Autocar that axing the RHD format from the Model S/X will help them “ramp up production and improve quality more effectively”. It is true that the right-hand-drive conversion makes more financial sense for higher-volume offerings like the Model 3/Y, than lower-volume models. Tesla produced 1,298,434 units of the Model 3/Y in 2022, compared to only 71,177 units of the Model S/X in the same period. We guess that the number of reservations in the UK didn’t justify the cost of the investment. Still, the company had officially announced the RHD Model S and X recently and even took orders for them.
Read: Tesla Model 3 Long Range Returns To U.S. And It’s $10k Cheaper, But Should You Care?
Those who have already reserved an RHD Tesla Model S/X in the UK can choose whether to buy an LHD equivalent, downgrade to a smaller RHD Model 3/Y with a £2,000 credit, or cancel their order. Tesla will treat UK reservation holders with test drive events held between May 28 and June 30, so they can decide for themselves if the left-hand-drive EVs are a good fit for London traffic.
However, besides the initial letdown, there is also a bright side to the story for UK buyers. Gaining access to LHD inventory means they can now buy the Tesla Model S/X Plaid which was previously unavailable in the region. The most powerful tri-motor Model S starts from £114,930 ($143,822), while the equivalent Model X sells for £124,780 ($156,148).
No More Tesla Model S/X For Australia
Things are worse for Australian buyers as the local arm of Tesla already notified them via email that the updated Tesla Model S/X won’t be available Down Under despite being confirmed and priced back in 2021. In an effort to make peace with disappointed customers, the company offers them an AU $3,000 (US $2,000) credit for ordering a Model 3/Y instead.
As reported by CarExpert, the email reads: “Due to recent changes to the vehicle program, the Model X and Model S will not be available in Right Hand Drive. Unfortunately, this means your order is unable to be fulfilled and will be canceled. You will receive a full refund for any payments made. We understand that this may be disappointing news to receive and want to apologize for any inconvenience caused”.
Besides UK and Australia, other right-hand-drive markets include Japan, India, New Zealand, and South Africa
