Tesla Model S and Model X sales are spiking, but some buyers are not happy about pricing

Tesla Model S and Model X sales are spiking after years of decline, but some buyers are not happy about how the automaker is handling pricing for existing orders.

New Tesla Model S and Model X

Tesla finally unveiled the highly-anticipated new Model S and Model X.

Model 3 and Model Y, which are cheaper, have had better technology in recent years, including faster Supercharging, and it affected the sales of the flagship vehicles.

Model X and Model X sales have been declining over the last few years, but Tesla is hoping that the new versions, which have caught up with Model 3 and Model Y in some specs and far exceeded them in others, are going to boost sales.

It’s Working

Sources familiar with Tesla’s sale operations told Electrek that Tesla is now seeing a spike in Model S and Model X sales that hasn’t been seen since the release of the Model S P100D ‘Ludicrous’ four years ago.

Tesla is keeping numbers close to its chest, but channel checks show a massive increase in sales of the new vehicles despite the increase in price.

Pricing is frustrating some buyers

Late last year, Tesla started pushing deliveries of new Model S and Model X into 2021.

We also reported that Tesla shut down the production lines in Fremont in late December to upgrade them for the new version of the Model S and Model X.

However, during that time, Tesla kept taking orders for Model S and Model X with the old price as low as $69,420.

The problem is that Tesla never had any intention to deliver these vehicles at that price.

Now Tesla buyers who had Model S and Model X on order prior to the refresh are told that they need to pay the new price, which is about $10,000 more expensive.

They would be getting a better vehicle, but the update has some polarizing features, like the new steering wheel without a stalk.

It’s not possible for buyers who order with deposits on Model S and Model X to get the original price with or without the previous design that was displayed when they place their orders.

A source familiar with the matter said that there are many customers in this situation.

During Tesla’s earnings conference call this week, CEO Elon Musk believed that it wouldn’t be a problem:

“We will be actually be raising the price of Model S for this new model. The new model will be $10,000 more, so hopefully people aren’t too upset if they bought the old model last month, but this one is $10,000 more. So yeah, we think it’s probably the best car of any kind at any price available in the world today.”

To appease owners who are frustrated with their Model S order placed before the refresh was announced this week, Tesla has authorized to offer a $2,000 price adjustment, and the price of the FSD remains the same as it was when the order was placed.