- Tesla is no longer taking new orders for the Model S and Model X in China.
- With increased import tariffs and disappointing sales numbers, the two EVs will live on in the U.S.
Tesla stopped taking orders for new Model S and Model X vehicles in China late last week, marking another step toward the two models’ impending demise. The American electric car maker didn’t officially announce the change, but its Chinese website was updated late last week with the removal of the order page, as spotted by Bloomberg.
Wannabe customers can still get a new Model S or Model X from inventory, but because of raised tariffs on U.S.-built EVs imported into China–and the limited sales volume–Tesla is no longer shipping newly-built units of its flagship EVs.
China is the largest EV market in the world, but it’s a cut-throat environment where all Western automakers have had a rough time catering to the needs of local customers. That’s why, even with local production of the Model 3 and Model Y at its Shanghai factory, Tesla has had to resort to serious price cuts to compete with local giant BYD.
When it comes to the Model S and Model X, which are only built in Fremont, California, this latest move is just another indication that their star status of yesteryear has long faded. Last year, Tesla sold fewer than 2,000 Model S and Model X vehicles in China. By comparison, the tally for both the Model 3 and Model Y was over 660,000, according to China’s Automotive Technology and Research Center.
It’s a similar story in the rest of the world, too. Despite Tesla not publishing individual sales figures for the Model S, Model X and Cybertruck, it’s not hard to see that their sales performance pales in comparison to the Model 3 and Model Y. In 2024, the American EV maker delivered a little over 85,000 units of the three models filed under the “Other Models” category in its official report, whereas the Model 3 and Model Y had 1.7 million deliveries globally.
The last time the Tesla Model X and Tesla Model S got a serious upgrade was in 2021.
The Tesla Model S was introduced in 2012 and received several improvements over time, with the latest serious update being applied in 2021. Despite its fresh looks and hardware, it’s getting a little dated, and its $80,000 starting price tag doesn’t do it any favors either. The same goes for the Model X, which is even more expensive.
Gradually, the two flagship models have been retired in several markets, the first of which were right-hand drive countries like the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia. Here, people who had reserved a Model S or Model X were invited to switch their order to a Model 3 or Model Y–which are available as RHD models–or cancel their purchase altogether.
