Tesla Cancels Model S, Model X Orders in UK, Australia

Tesla will no longer produce versions of its Model S and Model X for countries that require the steering wheel to be on the right side of the vehicle.

So-called right hand drive vehicles are the norm in countries like the UK and Australia, but manufacturers need to tweak their production line to handle the switch.

Customers in Australia and the UK who placed orders for either the Model S or the Model X have been told they will not receive their vehicle. Instead, a full refund will be issued for any payments made. As TheDriveIn reports(Opens in a new window), some customers in Australia have also been offered a $3,000 credit toward a Model 3 or Model Y, with the credit valid until October.

As Autocar reports(Opens in a new window), a Tesla representative explained this decision means vehicle production can be increased and the quality of those vehicles can be improved. It sounds like the amount of time and effort to convert these older model EVs to right hand drive versions wasn’t worth it. And just like in Australia, UK customers are being offered a credit toward a Model 3 or Model Y.

Any customer in a right hand drive market who still wants a Model S or Model X can always opt for a left hand drive version, assuming they can find one locally.

This comes as Tesla investors have expressed unhappiness with CEO Elon Musk, who they argue is “overcommitted” with duties across the EV maker, at SpaceX, and at Twitter. They will therefore be happy to hear he’s found a Twitter CEO replacement, reportedly in the form of NBCUniversal advertising chief Linda Yaccarino. She’s set to start in six weeks, so Tesla investors don’t have long to wait to see what Musk does once he has more time for his other business ventures.

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