Tesla Model S and Model X officially axed in Australia
Refund promised for buyers who’ve placed orders for Tesla’s flagship sedan and SUV as RHD production endsTesla has officially confirmed that it is no longer producing the Tesla Model S sedan and Tesla Model X SUV in right-hand drive, ruling out the luxury EVs for Australian buyers who will now be provided with a refund if they’ve placed an order.
The US electric car-maker has today notified customers who have paid a $350 deposit and were still holding out hope that the brand’s updated flagship EVs would come to Australia, despite local pricing and delivery times being scrubbed from the Tesla website as far back as December 2021.
That came after the configurator on Tesla’s Australian website advised in March 2021 that Model S and X deliveries would not be made for at least a year, heralding a long wait for customers of the updated models – including the super-high-performance Model S and X Plaid.
The company eventually stopped taking orders for the two models late last month, which was an ominous sign.
In the email to Model S customers, which is identical (save for the model name) to the correspondence sent to those who’ve ordered a Model X, Tesla said:
“Due to recent changes to the vehicle program, Model S will not be available in right-hand drive.
“Unfortunately, this means your order is unable to be fulfilled and will be cancelled. You will receive a full refund for any payments made.
“We understand that this may be disappointing news to receive and want to apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Tesla said deposit refunds will be settled “within 14 business days” of customers providing the relevant details.
As a gesture of goodwill, Tesla also said in the email to the prospective Model S and Model X owners:
“To thank you for supporting our mission, we would like to offer you a $A3000 (inc. GST) credit?towards a new Model 3 or Model Y order.”
There are several conditions attached to the offer, with the credit limited to one per cancelled order.
New orders for the Model 3 and Model Y must be placed before October 31, 2023, while one only credit can be applied per new order and cannot be applied across multiple orders.
They’re also “non-transferable, not redeemable for purchases of any other Tesla products and cannot be exchanged for cash”.
There has been no public announcement from Tesla at this stage on the future of the Model Y and Model X in right-hand drive markets.
The company usually leaves those matters to CEO Elon Musk, who has also today stepped down from his role as the boss of Twitter.
Related: Tesla Model S and Model X no longer ‘on sale’
Related: Tesla Model Y Long Range pricing announced
Related: More details of updated Tesla Model 3 surface
For everything you auto know about EVs, listen to carsales' Watts Under the Bonnet: the electric car podcast
Join the conversation at
Or email us at
Or email us at
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
