Tesla Cancels Model S and Model X Launch in Australia Due to Right-Hand Drive Issues

Tesla has confirmed that its updated flagship models, the Model S and Model X, will not be launched in Australia. The announcement came in emails sent to customers and shared on the Tesla Model 3 & Y Australia and Tesla Owners Australia groups on Facebook.

The news is particularly surprising given that the vehicles had not only been sold in Australia in their pre-update versions, but had also been confirmed and priced in their updated guises back in 2021. However, prices for the updated models were subsequently removed from the local site early in 2022, and the option to reserve one was removed earlier this year.

The email sent to customers explains that recent changes to the vehicle program mean that the Model S and Model X will not be available in right-hand drive, and that all orders will be cancelled and refunded in full. The email also includes a $3000 credit towards a new Model 3 or Model Y order, limited to one credit per cancelled order and valid for orders placed before October 31, 2023.

While the Model S and Model X have been confirmed to return to Europe and China, Tesla’s UK site confirms that the models will only be available in left-hand drive. With their recent facelifts, both models gained a new tri-motor Plaid performance flagship and an overhauled interior with a new landscape-oriented infotainment touchscreen and a steering yoke.

The news will be disappointing for Australian Tesla fans who had been eagerly awaiting the launch of the updated Model S and Model X, but it remains to be seen whether Tesla will change its decision in the future. For now, it seems that Australian customers will have to make do with the Model 3 and Model Y.