{"id":49609,"date":"2023-05-14T12:03:08","date_gmt":"2023-05-14T16:03:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=49609"},"modified":"2023-05-14T12:03:08","modified_gmt":"2023-05-14T16:03:08","slug":"tesla-model-s-x-right-hand-drive-discontinued","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=49609","title":{"rendered":"Right-hand-drive Tesla Model S, Model X no longer available"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tesla<\/a> confirmed it’s no longer offering right-hand-drive variants of the Model S<\/a> and the Model X<\/a>. Both EVs are now left-hand-drive only purportedly in a bid to keep costs in check by streamlining the production process, and the firm is giving buyers in right-hand-drive markets several options.<\/p>\n

Citing an anonymous Tesla representative, British magazine Autocar<\/em> reported<\/a> that the right-hand-drive S and X models have been canned “due to the mechanical and logistical complexity added by the conversion.” In many ways, this move hardly comes as a surprise: Tesla has historically offered fewer paint colors<\/a>, upholstery colors and options than its rivals to make its production process as simple as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This isn’t a temporary move; the S and the X will be left-hand-drive-only “for the foreseeable future,” according to the report. It adds that, beyond making the production process more streamlined, axing the right-hand-drive versions will also help Tesla improve build quality.<\/p>\n

Buyers in right-hand-drive markets like the United Kingdom, Japan<\/a>, and Hong Kong find themselves at a crossroads. British reservation holders can either settle for a left-hand-drive car, which is far from ideal in a nation whose infrastructure is built for right-hand-drive cars, claim a \u00a32,000 (about $2,500) credit that they can apply to a Model 3<\/a> or a Model Y<\/a>, or cancel their order and shop for a new car<\/a> that’s designed for their market. It’s worth noting that the move only applies to the S and the X; the 3 and the Y are offered with right-hand-drive.<\/p>\n

Right-hand-drive markets represent a small slice of the automotive landscape, so it’s not unusual for companies to decide that investing in a country-specific version of a low-volume car isn’t worth the trouble. Historically, the Citro\u00ebn SM, the Alpine A310, and the Audi<\/a> Quattro are among the cars that were only offered with left-hand-drive. Even the first-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI<\/a> was left-hand-drive only until about three years after its debut. However, sometimes the opposite applies: demand for the Ram 1500<\/a> is so high in Australia<\/a> that executives are considering<\/a> building right-hand-drive trucks<\/a> on the same production line as left-hand-drive models instead of converting them locally.<\/p>\n

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