Tesla has released the Model S and Model X in Japan. But while the two flagship vehicles have been long awaited among Tesla enthusiasts in Japan, the EV maker has announced that it would only be releasing a left-hand drive variant for the new Model S and Model X in the country.
The new Model S and Model X release in Japan was teased on social media, with the company initially posting a short video teaser for the two vehicles on Twitter. This was followed up with an announcement highlighting that the new Model S and Model X are among the fastest production cars in the world today.
A look at the order pages for the new Model S and Model X in Japan indicates that the EV maker would only be releasing LHD variants for the vehicles. Tesla also noted that it has no plans to release a right hand drive model for the Model S and Model X.
“In order to sell Model S worldwide, Tesla will ship left-hand drive cars to Japan. Design Studio can only purchase left-hand drive models. There are no plans to produce a right-hand drive model,” Tesla noted in its online configurator.
Tesla’s decision to restrict the Model S and Model X to only LHD variants would likely not deter many potential customers in Japan. While the country’s vehicles are typically right-hand drive, Japan does allow left-hand drive vehicles on its roads. In a previous report, Japan Motor noted that in Japanese car culture, LHD cars are at times considered status symbols. The Model S and Model X definitely fit this mold.
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