Tesla Model S, X delayed until ‘end of 2022’ for Australia
Updated versions of the Tesla Model S and Model X have been further delayed, according to the EV maker’s Australian website.
Whereas Tesla previously estimated the revised versions of the Model S sedan and Model X SUV were due in 2022, the company is now quoting “end of 2022” for those wanting to place an order on the most expensive of the three Tesla models sold here.
While the new S and X aren’t radically different – they use the same basic bodies and underpinnings – they get some interesting tech and updates, including a yoke steering wheel and no gear selector.
Given Tesla has a reputation for delaying new arrivals, there’s a chance that estimate will be pushed back until 2023, taking arguably the biggest $100K-plus EV competitors out of the local landscape for at least 18 months.
The most natural rival to the Porsche Taycan and upcoming Audi e-Tron GT is the Tesla Model S; Taycan sales boomed in its first month on sale in Australia.
The Model X has been largely unchallenged for years but now has competition from the Mercedes-Benz EQC, Jaguar I-Pace and Audi e-Tron; while none of those offer the three-row layout of the larger Model X, they provide the EV driving experience that Tesla previously had to itself in the luxury SUV space.
And some variants of the upcoming Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 could tread on the turf previously dominated by the Model S and Model X.
No word from Tesla on why there are such substantial delays. Tesla disbanded its media departments around the world, so there are no reliable explanations for the hold-ups.
Overseas there have also been delays to the S and X – with the high-performance Plaid and Plaid+ models experiencing the biggest delays – but Australian arrivals have been pushed back way further.
It means Tesla will have gone more than 18 months without delivering any S or Xs.
Early in 2021 Tesla has a handful of Model S and X available in stock – some 2020 models and some 2021 – but they were all removed from the site by February.
Elsewhere in the Tesla world delays are building. The company’s German factory – called Giga Berlin – recently had another six months added to its planned opening time, which has been pushed back to 2022.
While Tesla allows customers to pre-order the radical Cybertruck, there’s still has no estimated arrival date for the Model Y – and no ability for customers to place an order.
The Cybertruck has also been delayed, as has the Tesla Semi and modern Tesla Roadster.
While Tesla is taking deposits for the Cybertruck in Australia, Tesla chief Elon Musk has previously hinted it may not be available here due to regulatory issues. The Cybertruck is one of more than a dozen EV utes currently promised or being developed.
Similarly, the Tesla Semi is not approved for Australian sale.
