Production of Tesla’s first two mainstream models, the Model S saloon and Model X SUV, will end this summer.
CEO Elon Musk said “it’s time” to discontinue the cars, the Model S having been launched back in 2012.
This virtually halves the Tesla line-up, leaving only the smaller Model 3 saloon, Model Y SUV and Cybertruck pick-up on sale.
The long-delayed Roadster is scheduled to be shown in production specification at last on 1 April this year, before the fully autonomous Cybercab – with no steering wheel or pedals – arrives in 2027.
The Model S and Model X factory in Fremont, California, will be converted to produce Optimus robots as Musk diversifies the business through heavy investment into artificial intelligence and automation.
Although the Model S and Model X became technological flagships for Tesla, ultimately headlined by 1020bhp Plaid variants, they accounted for only a small slice of its annual sales. Last year, the company delivered less than 50,000 examples of the pair combined, compared with nearly 1.6 million Model 3s and Model Ys.
The Model S was a game-changer when it first arrived, with the Performance variant offering 416bhp and 300 miles of range (on the outdated NEDC test cycle) for £68,700 (£96,000 in today’s money).
Autocar’s 2013 road test found it to be the best car in its class. A 4.5-star rating put it ahead of the contemporary Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid, as well as hybrid versions of the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A8.
“Of the half-dozen electric cars that we’ve road tested during the re-emergence of the EV, only two have managed to complete our full set of track tests, photo shoots and road assessments without the assistance of a trailer,” read our verdict.
We continued: “Finally, it seems, here’s a company that understands the workings of the automotive consumer. Small cars are already cheap and use very little fuel. So making an electric one of those work for everybody is going to be a very hard task, as their sales, or lack of, demonstrate.
“With a luxury car, though, Tesla has found it easier to gain price and performance parity with its rivals. It has been able to offer a vast range by fitting vast batteries and has found a customer base more open to the new technology and with more resources at their work and home to counter the drawbacks. Practical, refined and, above all, desirable, the Model S is a triumph.”
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