Tesla is believed to have closed its PR department and did not respond to requests for comment.
The lack of demand would not be entirely surprising. The production of more affordable EVSs has long surpassed luxury vehicles. Tesla delivered only 15,200 Model S and X units in the third quarter of 2020 out of a total of 139,300 cars. There is also the question of pants-up interest for the sed p-up “Plaid” Model S – if you can splurge on a high-end EV, you may be tempted to wait for the most powerful version.
The full-blown shutdown is still significant, though, and it’s strengthened by how much Tesla’s strategy has changed over the years. Even in the early days of the Model 3, the S and X were still considered an important part of the lineup – now, they are exclusive cars. Tesla is now focusing more on the mainstream (if still above normal prices), and that is unlikely to change when the company hopes to build a 25,000 car in the next few years.
