Tesla has confirmed that it no longer offers right-hand drive variants of the Models and the Model X. Both EVs are now left-hand drive only presumably in an effort to keep costs in check by streamlining the manufacturing process, and the company is offering buyers in right-hand drive markets several options.
Quoting an anonymous Tesla representative, British magazine Car reported that the right-hand drive S and X models were boxed “because of the mechanical and logistical complexity added by the conversion”. In many ways, this move is hardly surprising: Tesla has historically offered less paint colorsupholstery colors and options over its rivals to make the manufacturing process as easy as possible.
This isn’t a temporary move; the S and X will be left-hand drive only “for the foreseeable future,” according to the report. He adds that, in addition to streamlining the manufacturing process, eliminating right-hand drive versions will also help Tesla improve build quality.
Buyers in right hand drive markets such as the UK, Japan, and Hong Kong are at a crossroads. British reservation holders can settle for a left-hand drive car, which is less than ideal in a nation whose infrastructure is built for right-hand drive cars, apply for a £2,000 credit (about $2,500) which they can apply to a Model 3 or a Model Yor cancel your order and buy at new car designed for their market. It’s worth noting that the move only applies to the S and X; the 3 and Y are offered in right-hand drive.
Right-hand drive markets represent a small slice of the automotive landscape, so it’s not unusual for companies to decide that a country-specific version of a low-volume car isn’t worth investing in. Historically, the Citroën SM, the Alpine A310 and the Audi Four are among the cars that were only offered in left-hand drive. Even the first generation Volkswagen Golf GTI it was left-hand drive only until about three years after its debut. However, sometimes the opposite is true: the demand for the 1500 ram it’s so high Australia That executives are evaluating right-hand drive building truck on the same production line as the LHD models instead of converting them locally.
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