Tesla raises prices, cuts options to simplify its EV lineup (updated)
It's in the name of reducing costs and speeding up production.
Tesla has made good on its plan to cull options for its electric cars, and the changes are... mixed. Electrek has learned that Tesla has raised the prices of the Model S 75D and Model X 75D by $1,000 to $78,000 and $84,000 respectively, albeit with $500 price drops for their 100D counterparts (now $96,000 and $99,000). However, you now get the black Premium interior standard, with cream and white interiors costing $1,500 instead of the earlier $3,300. And it's what you don't see that may matter the most -- Tesla has scrapped a number of choices, including some drivers might like.
On the Model S, the automaker has scrapped the panoramic sunroof, rear-facing child seats and 21-inch black Arachnid wheels as options (you can still get the wheels as aftermarket parts). You'll only find the 72-amp onboard charger in "single phase" markets, too. Model X shoppers, meanwhile, will have to go without the six-seat configuration and the 72-amp charger option. Whichever car you choose, you now have just three interior options on most cars and two on the P100D variants.
Elon Musk wasn't shy about explaining move like this in October. It's about "simplifying production," which could both speed up deliveries and reduce costs. Those measures could help Tesla remain profitable and ease the pressure to step up Model 3 output.
Update 11/12 1:11AM: Tesla tells us it's moving from 72-amp chargers to 48-amp chargers in single phase markets, and that three-phase markets will continue to get the 72-amp charger.
