Why You Can't Get A Right-Hand Drive Tesla Model X Or S Anymore
Tesla has made a huge announcement that won't bode well for Model X and Model S buyers in the right-hand drive (RHD) markets of Europe, Australia, and some Asian markets. According to a report by Electrek, Tesla has canceled orders for right-hand drive variants of the Model S sedan and Model X SUV, and will issue a full refund for any payments made. Moreover, Tesla will continue selling the Model S and Model X in the U.K., but only as left-hand drive units. Tesla specifically states that "changes to the vehicle program" overall seem to have been the reason for the cancellation, though it did not elaborate beyond that.
This somewhat perplexing decision is hot on the heels of a previous report that the American EV pioneer shut down its online configurator for the Model S and Model X in the right-hand drive markets of Singapore, New Zealand, Thailand, and Australia at the beginning of May 2023. As it turns out, Tesla did not explain any of its recent actions in detail. Now, U.K. buyers who placed reservations for the refreshed Model S and Model X would have to contend with left-hand drive units that Tesla has made available in its European inventory.
Left-hand drive only — but there's a catch
On Tesla's U.K. website, the automaker has added a free charging perk for left-hand drive buyers. Customers who take delivery by June 30, 2023 will receive three years' worth of free and unlimited Supercharging. Furthermore, Tesla has stopped taking new orders for RHD Model S and Model X units in the U.K., but it has a fleet of left-hand drive units awaiting delivery.
Since Tesla has not explicitly explained why it canceled all RHD orders of its Model S and Model X, the move could be related to excessive inventories on the automaker's part. Tesla sold about 100,000 Model S and Model X units in 2017, but the numbers slowly dwindled when the more affordable Model 3 and Model Y entered the fray.
Despite the Model S and Model X making up only 5% of Tesla's annual sales since then, Tesla hasn't slowed down production, leading to a surplus of inventory for the Model S and Model X left-hand drive variants. Whether Tesla shipped those excess units to the U.K. and canceled all orders for RHD vehicles is anybody's guess. The question is: Will the free Supercharging perk convince U.K. buyers to take the left-hand drive plunge?