Tesla Eliminates the Model S and Model X to Focus on Robots
Milos Komnenovic
Sat, January 31, 2026 at 8:45 AM EST
4 min read
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Tesla says it will end production of the Model S and Model X in the second quarter of 2026, closing the chapter on two vehicles that once defined the modern electric car. The move follows years in which the Model S and Model X received relatively modest updates and remained far lower-volume than Tesla’s mass-market models. It also aligns with the long stated ambition of CEO Elon Musk to reposition Tesla as a company centered on artificial intelligence and robotics rather than traditional automotive manufacturing.
While the decision signals the end of an era, it also leaves Tesla with a much narrower passenger vehicle lineup. With the departure of the Model S and Model X, Tesla’s mainstream volume still rests primarily on the Model 3 and Model Y, while the Cybertruck remains the company’s other current light-vehicle line.
Icons Without True Successors
In the auto industry, iconic vehicles are typically retired only after a worthy successor is ready to carry the torch. That was not the case here. When the Model S and Model X debuted more than a decade ago, they reshaped public perception of electric vehicles. They proved EVs could be fast, desirable, and technologically advanced, and they became symbols of a new tech-driven automotive era.
Instead of evolving those pioneers with substantial engineering upgrades, Tesla allowed them to age. The 2021 refresh kept the underlying platform, but it brought a major interior redesign and significant powertrain/thermal updates, including the new tri-motor Plaid setup. As competition intensified and buyers shifted toward newer alternatives, sales volumes dropped sharply.
A Factory Reassigned to Robots
Tesla says Model S and Model X production will end in the second quarter of 2026, freeing up capacity at its Fremont, California facility. The company has indicated that the freed capacity will be used to ramp Optimus, its humanoid robot program.
This outcome had been widely anticipated. When Tesla rolled out a minor Model S and Model X update in June 2025, it was already clear the two flagship models were closer to cancellation than reinvention. Because the Model S and Model X were built only in the United States, exporting them meant dealing with import duties and added logistics costs in some markets.
Price Increases That Fell Flat
Tesla briefly attempted to revive interest by launching updated versions in the summer. Revised bumpers and suspension changes did little to justify a five thousand dollar price increase. In a market already saturated with electric vehicles priced around one hundred thousand dollars, buyers remained indifferent.
Story Continues
When Tesla followed up with another ten thousand dollar increase in August, demand collapsed entirely. At that point, the fate of the Model S and Model X was effectively sealed.
Losing More Than Just Two Cars
This decision reflects a broader shift in Tesla’s identity. Musk and his supporters often repeat the phrase that Tesla is no longer a car company. With fewer models and growing uncertainty around future vehicles, that statement now carries more weight than ever.
Yet Tesla is not discontinuing obscure or low-impact products. These were the brand’s most iconic vehicles. The Model S Plaid posted a widely reported Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time of 7:25.231 in 2023, underscoring how much performance credibility the Model S built over its life. The other redefined door design with its dramatic falcon wing configuration. Their departure strips Tesla of much of the character and distinctiveness that once set it apart.
What Comes Next
Even the symbolic loss is notable. The long used S3XY acronym built from Tesla’s model names no longer applies. With the S and X gone, that branding shorthand disappears as well.
More concerning for Tesla’s long term outlook is that similar patterns are emerging with the Model 3 and Model Y. Incremental styling updates may not be enough to keep them competitive as rivals introduce more advanced technology and, in some markets, surpass Tesla in sales.
For U.S. consumers, the end of the Model S and Model X underscores a clear message. Tesla is moving away from its automotive roots and betting heavily on a future defined by software, autonomy, and robotics. Whether that gamble pays off remains an open question.
This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.
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