Tesla Cancels Model S, Model X Orders in UK, Australia

pcmag.com:

Tesla will no longer produce versions of its Model S and Model X for countries that require the steering wheel to be on the other side of the vehicle.

So-called right hand drive vehicles are the norm in countries including the UK and Australia, but manufacturers need to tweak their production line to cater for the switch.

Customers in Australia and the UK who placed orders for either the Model S or the Model X have been told they will not receive their vehicle. Instead, a full refund will be issued for any payments made. As TheDriveIn reports(Opens in a new window), some customers in Australia have also been offered a $3,000 credit towards buying a Model 3 or Model Y, with the credit valid until October.

As Autocar reports(Opens in a new window), a Tesla representative explained this decision was taken so that vehicle production can be increased and the quality of those vehicles can be improved. It sounds like the amount of time and effort to convert these older model EVs to right hand drive versions wasn't worth it. And just like in Australia, UK customers are being offered credit towards a Model 3 or Model Y.

Any customer in a right hand drive market who still desires to own a Model S or Model X can always opt for a left hand drive version, assuming they can find one locally.

Meanwhile, Tesla investors are unhappy because they think Elon Musk is "overcommitted." They will therefore be happy to hear he's found a Twitter CEO replacement in the form of NBCUniversal's advertising chief Linda Yaccarino. She's set to start in six weeks, so Tesla investors don't have long to wait to see what Musk does once he has more time for his other business ventures.

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