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Tesla Model X

Tesla CEO Stands by the Model X, “the Best Car Ever”

Elon Musk says the Tesla Model X is the “best car ever built.” He adds that, “No one will ever build a car like the Model X again.

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In a rare moment of humility during the question and answer portion of Tesla’s Q4 earnings call, Elon Musk admitted that there might have been more than a little hubris behind the decision to ladle as many new ideas and innovative features into the development of the Model X as humanly possible.

“Model X is an amazing car. [It] is the best car ever,” said Musk. “I’m not sure anyone’s going to make a car like this ever again. I’m not sure Tesla would make a car like this again.” The Model X engineering complexity combined with early production issues related to its falcon wing doors and second row seating resulted in a slower than expected Q4 production ramp of the vehicle. Musk acknowledges that, in retrospect, Tesla should have rolled out new Model X features over time rather than put everything into it all at once.

“I’m not sure anyone’s going to make a car like this ever again. I’m not sure Tesla would make a car like this again”

Asked whether the Model X will take sales away from the Model S, Musk responded that it will be a matter of taste for individual drivers. He said he personally prefers the lower seating of the Model S, but many people like the high seating the Model X offers. The best feature, says Musk, is its amazing panoramic windshield that sweeps back into the roof over the heads of front seat passengers.

As to how Tesla will balance production between the Model X and Model S, Musk said it would be up to the market to decide once the company begins rolling out the electric crossover SUV to select showrooms this quarter.

Production volume of the Model X is expected to be between 700 to 800 vehicles per week, with that number rising to as much as 1,000 per week towards mid to late Q2. Tesla anticipates a total of 1600-1800 cars will be produced per week, combined.

 

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Tesla China rolls out RMB 10,000 discount for Model Y

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla China has launched a rather rare discount for select Model Y variants. The discount was announced by Tesla China in a post on its official social media account on Weibo.

As could be seen in Tesla China’s post on Weibo, domestic customers who order the Model Y Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and Long Range All Wheel Drive (AWD), and take delivery of their vehicles between November 25 and December 31 can take advantage of a RMB 10,000 ($1,379) discount on their purchase. The RMB 10,000 discount is not applicable for the Tesla Model Y Performance.

For context, the Model Y RWD starts at RMB 249,900, the Model Y Long Range AWD starts at RMB 290,900, and the Model Y Performance starts at RMB 354,900, as per the vehicle’s order page. With the discount in place, customers can acquire the Model Y RWD for RMB 239,900 and the Model Y Long Range AWD for RMB 280,900 before options. Estimated delivery dates for the Model Y RWD and AWD are still listed at 1-3 weeks.

As noted in a report from CNEV Post, the RMB 10,000 discount applies to new Model Y orders, inventory units, and show cars. Model Y units that were used by Tesla China for test drives and official used vehicles, however, are not eligible for the RMB 10,000 discount. The Tesla Model 3, the Model Y’s sedan sibling, is also not eligible for the RMB 10,000 discount. 

While Tesla is known for being quite volatile with its vehicle pricing, the company actually rarely implements a discount for its offerings. This makes the Model Y’s RMB 10,000 discount offer quite unique. It is then unsurprising that the promotion has triggered speculations that the electric vehicle maker is implementing the discount as a way to sell as many current-generation Model Y units as possible before it rolls out the highly-anticipated “Juniper” update, which is expected to be rolled out sometime next year.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Tesla Cybertruck recall shows healthy production ramp, but Model S and X are suffering

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | YouTube

This morning’s reports of a Tesla Cybertruck recall only went to shed more light on how the production ramp of the pickup is going.

With delivery figures for the third quarter revealed yesterday, it also shows a grim reality for the Model S and Model X, two vehicles that have become more of a novelty in Tesla’s lineup as the Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck have truly taken charge.

The NHTSA documents released this morning show the Cybertruck is being recalled for a delayed rearview image, which will be resolved with an Over-the-Air update.

Tesla addresses Cybertruck rearview camera “recall” with free software update

However, they also show that 27,185 units are potentially impacted by the issue, giving us a rough guess of how many Cybertrucks have been produced thus far.

The breakdown seems to show that from the last Cybertruck recall in June, when 11,688 units were potentially impacted, we have seen roughly 15,497 additional pickups make their way to customers.

In a perfect world, that would mean 910 Cybertruck are delivered every week, or 130 per day, and since the first recall occurred with three weeks left in June and in Q2, we can subtract 2,730 Cybertrucks from the 15,497 that have been delivered since then.

These figures are very rough estimates. That would leave 13,157 Cybertrucks delivered in Q3, roughly.

Tesla said 22,915 Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck were delivered in Q3. This would leave just 9,758 Model S and Model X to be delivered, less than 10,000 units for an entire quarter, if the Cybertruck delivery figures are close to accurate.

“We’re Continuing to Make Them for Sentimental Reasons”

Elon Musk said during the Q3 2019 Earnings Call that the Model S and Model X are truly vehicles that are “niche products,” and they knew it wouldn’t take the company to a mass-market status:

“I mean, they’re very expensive, made in low volume. To be totally frank, we’re continuing to make them more for sentimental reasons than anything else. They’re really of minor importance to the future.”

Tesla’s Q1 ’21 Deliveries prove Elon Musk was right about the Model S and X in 2019

Interestingly, the vehicles have had their moments through the past few years. In Q4 2023, the Model S and Model X saw their highest delivery count in five years, accounting for 22,969 deliveries that quarter.

Now, they’re around the 10,000 mark.

It will be interesting to see what Tesla’s plans are for these two cars, especially as Robotaxi unveiling is scheduled for next week, and there could be the potential for more vehicles to be released in the coming years with the next-gen platform taking focus.

It would be a real gut punch to the long-time Tesla fans who saw the Model S and Model X launch the company into the Model 3. But all good things must come to an end.

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Tesla rolls out unique promotion for Model X AWD customers

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Tesla has implemented a new promotion for customers of the Model X Long Range Dual Motor All Wheel Drive (AWD) in the United States. The promotion, which was recently observed on the vehicle’s official order page, allows Model X AWD customers to gain a premium add-on to their vehicle for free. 

As could be seen in the Model X AWD’s order page, add-ons such as premium paint options, 22” Turbine Wheels, Black and White Interior, Six or Seven Seat Interior, and Yoke Steering could be free if Full Self-Driving (FSD) is fully purchased with the vehicle. 

With FSD ordered with the Model X AWD, the highest-priced add-on to the vehicle would be free of charge. For example, if a customer orders the Model X AWD with a Seven-Seat Interior, which costs $3,500, and Lunar Silver Paint, which costs $2,500, the Seven Seat Interior will be complimentary. 

This means that as long as FSD is ordered with the Model X AWD, even the vehicle’s more pricey add-ons, such as its Six Seat Interior, which costs $6,500, and its 22” Turbine Wheels, which cost $5,500, could be complimentary. It should be noted, however, that customers must order FSD’s full $8,000 add-on to avail of the promotion, not the recently announced Drive Anywhere Package, which bundles FSD, free Supercharging, and Premium Connectivity for three years. 

It remains to be seen how the recently launched promotion would be received by consumers, though it does make the Model X AWD more appealing. The promotion itself probably does not cost Tesla a lot either, as the Model X does not sell in very high volumes. As per Tesla’s Q2 2024 vehicle delivery and production report alone, the company reported 443,956 deliveries worldwide during the quarter, 422,405 of which were Model 3 and Model Y. 

This meant that all of Tesla’s other vehicles — the Cybertruck, Semi, Model S, and Model X — only saw 21,551 units delivered in the second quarter. From this number, Cox Automotive estimated that 8,755 were comprised of the Cybertruck. Considering that the Semi is still being produced in very limited quantities, it would appear that less than 13,000 Model S and Model X were sold in Q2. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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