Tesla has increased the price of the Yoke steering wheel option for the Model S and Model X at $1,000, according to its online configurator, as spotted by Sawyer Merritt on X.
The controversial steering wheel has had quite a ride since its introduction in 2021 as part of the two flagship EVs’ refresh, when it became the only choice for newly configured cars, while the normal round steering wheel was nowhere to be found on the options list.
However, things started to change a few years later, after people complained about the yoke’s lack of practicality, especially at low speeds, so Tesla introduced a round steering wheel in January 2023 as the standard spec for the Model S and Model X, while the yoke was transformed into a no-cost option.
Then, in March, the Austin-based EV maker ran a brief retrofit campaign where owners of yoke-equipped vehicles could get a round steering wheel installed at a Tesla service center for $700. A month later, the yoke became a $250 paid option, and now it costs $1,000.
This latest change is part of the firm’s ongoing and increasingly hard-to-track series of updates to its pricing and options availability. In a week, Tesla lowered the price of FSD, removed the Standard Range trim for the Model S and Model X and significantly cut their MSRPs, launched the refreshed Model 3, added the “Autosteer on City Streets” function to its so-called Full Self-Driving system, and made all the paint options for the Model S and Model X free.
As for the future of the yoke steering wheel, the EV brand is reportedly working on an updated version of it, with improved materials and a shape that combines a normal wheel and the current jet fighter-like model, without the cutout at the top.
As always, we’d like to know what you think about this, so head over to the comments section below to give us your opinion.
