Tesla’s decision to halt production of right-hand drive (RHD) versions of its Model S and Model X cars has frustrated reservation holders in several countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, and pushed them to seek alternatives from the competition.
Some Tesla customers have been waiting for their vehicles for almost 3 years now, and deliveries may never be honored. Indeed, the American manufacturer of electric vehicles recently announced that it will no longer produce Tesla Model X and Tesla Model S with a right-hand drive, while some customers are still waiting for delivery of their vehicle.
For UK, Australian or New Zealand customers who have patiently waited up to three years for their Model S or Model X, this news came as a surprise. Some disappointed reservation holders have already turned to competing brands like Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, commanding vehicles such as the Taycan or EQS instead, as Autocar reports.
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Tesla offers to deliver left-hand drive cars
As an apology, Tesla is offering reservation holders options such as acceptance of a left-hand drive car, choice of a smaller Model 3 or Model Yor the cancellation of their order.
However, the decision to discontinue right-hand drive models has raised concerns about left-hand driving in countries with right-hand traffic. This situation would result in poorer visibility when overtaking, as the driver must partially cross the opposite lane to see oncoming traffic.
Tesla’s choice to prioritize production of its more affordable models, the Model 3 and Model Y, is based on their significantly higher sales volume. Just over 11,000 Model S units and less than 6,500 Model Xs were registered in the UK between 2013 and 2021, according to Dylan Setterfield of Cap HPI.the combined number of registered Model 3 and Model Y units is expected to exceed 170,000 by the end of the yearwhich represents a substantial share of Tesla’s overall sales.
