Tesla increases base price of Model S and Model X, makes several option changes to ‘simplify offering’

Today, Tesla updated its online design studio for Model S and Model X, increasing the base price of both vehicles, and introducing several changes to the options available.

Last month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk warned of upcoming changes to the Model S and Model X interiors to simplify the offering, but the changes are actually much more important than simply the interior bundle options.

In short, some prices went up, others went down, and some options have been made standards, but others went away.

In internal communications obtained by Electrek, Tesla said that the changes are “to simplify the product offerings and provide the best experience for customers.”

Here I’ll try to break down all the changes:

First of all the base prices of the base versions of Model S and Model X saw an increase while the price of the 100D versions decreased:

• Model S 75D now starts at $78,000 (up $1,000 from $77,000)
• Model X 75D now starts at $84,000 (up $1,000 from $83,000)
• Model S 100D now starts at $96,000 (down $500 from $96,500)
• Model X 100D now starts at $99,000 (down $500 from $99,500)

In Europe, the base prices of Model S and Model X increased by 1,500 euros and the price of the 100D versions stayed the same.

With those price changes, several interior options have received price changed:

• All black Premium interior is now the standard option
• Cream and Black and White Premium interiors are now a $1,500 option (down from $3,300 previously)
• Black Textile is gone from the configurator, but Electrek learned that it’s still available off the menu.

Interior options are basically down to three for most cars:

• All black material with figured ash and dark headliner
• Cream premium material with oak and light headliner
• White premium material with dark ash and dark headliner

And for the P100D versions of Model S and Model X, buyers have 2 options:

• All Black ventilated and carbon fiber
• White and Black ventilated and carbon fiber

Now Tesla also removed or changed the availability of several features for both Model S and Model X:

Tesla Model S changes

• Rear-facing Child seats are gone: Tesla will instead recommend buyers with large families to get a Model X
• 21″ Black Arachnid Wheels are not in the config anymore. They will be an aftermarket product only.
• Panoramic Sunroof is gone. Like Model 3, only the glass roof is now available.
• 72 amp on-board charger: single phase markets are now moving to 48 amp charger. 3-phase markets are un-impacted; they will continue to get the 72-amp on-board charger.
• Carbon fiber spoiler has been made standard on all the Model S P100D

Tesla Model X changes

• The 6-seat with center console configuration has been discontinued.
• 72 amp on-board charger: single phase markets are now moving to 48 amp charger. 3-phase markets are un-impacted; they will continue to get the 72-amp on-board charger.

Electrek’s Take

A quick look at the configs of the BMW or Mercedes-Benz would tell you that Tesla already had the most simple options as a premium automaker.

I don’t think that there was really a need to simplify it even more.

But I think this might actually be a move to differentiate the interior ahead of the introduction of the Model 3 base interior.

Currently, Tesla only offers the “premium interior” for the Model 3, but it is expected to introduce a base interior within the next 6 months to reduce the base price of the Model 3 to $35,000.

Now the company is making the premium interior standard on Model S, and Model X, to differentiate the flagship sedan from the less expensive one.

Tesla made many similar moves with the Model S ahead of the launch of the Model 3 last year.

They are some problems with some of the other changes though. As some of the commenters pointed out below, the sunroof enabled the roof rack connectors.

With now only the glass roof option for Model S, it now sounds like there’s no way to get a roof rack.

I really don’t see how this will impact Model S and Model X sales. I don’t see this increasing demand for the car.

Tesla is talking about streamlining production, but it has been consistently able to produce 2,000 Model S and Model X vehicles per week over the past year. That’s about what they have been projecting.

Maybe there’s something I don’t understand, but I don’t see things changing much until the Model S/Model X interior design refresh, which we believe is planned for next year.