Tesla Ends Free Paint Options for Model S and Model X Flagship Vehicles

Tesla customers who ordered the Model S sedan and Model X SUV in August received a delightful surprise. Aside from the price reduction, Tesla eliminated all expenses for the paint options of the two flagship models. This meant that even premium paint options, such as Ultra Red, became free of charge.

Most Paint Options For Tesla Model S And Model X Are No Longer Free Of Charge

The complementary paint options gave the Model S and Model X an advantage over the electric vehicle maker's two mainstream vehicles, the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover, which do not have them. It was also positively received by consumers who purchased the Model X Long Range, which starts at $79,990, as per Teslarati.

Customers could purchase a Model X Long Range in Ultra Red paint and still be eligible for the IRA's $7,500 federal point-of-sale bonus. According to reports from the Tesla community, the electric vehicle manufacturer has discontinued the Model S and Model X's entirely free paint option.

As can be seen on the order pages for the two vehicles, only Stealth Gray paint is now free. Pearl White Multi-Coat, Deep Blue Metallic, and Solid Black cost an additional $1,500, while Ultra Red is now $2,500.

According to the most current update, Tesla customers who want to qualify for the IRA's $7,500 federal point of sale bonus must order a Model X Long Range with Stealth Gray paint, 20" Cyberstream Wheels, a 5-Seat Black Interior, and a circular steering wheel. Changing the color on the Model X Long Range or adding additional options would push the all-electric SUV's price above the $80,000 federal point of sale credit barrier.

The Model S and Model X are Tesla's flagship automobiles, although they are not widely available internationally. Since the release of the vehicles' current models, which include the Model S and Model X Plaid, the two flagships have been unavailable in right-hand drive (RHD) countries. In May of last year, Tesla publicly removed the Model S and Model X from its Australian and New Zealand websites. Similar updates were recorded in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Tesla Could Have The Secret To Cheaper EVs As Early As This Year

Tesla may offer lower prices on electric vehicles in the near future, as Panasonic intends to release updated and upgraded versions of the 2170 and 4680 battery cells as early as this year, according to the company's Chief Technology Officer for EV batteries.

Tesla and Panasonic have collaborated for years, operating the Gigafactory Nevada facility together and working as a team to further EV efforts.

In order to remain at the forefront of the EV scene, which is rapidly expanding with new competitors and cutting-edge technology, long-standing companies in the industry must constantly enhance their products or risk falling behind the hungry up-and-comers.

Panasonic is one of the most well-known battery production businesses in the EV arena, alongside CATL, a Chinese company that has been the world's largest battery producer in terms of gigawatt-hours for several years.

However, Panasonic is modernizing its trusted 2170 and 4680 battery cells, which Tesla has utilized for years in the Model 3 and Model Y. According to Panasonic's CTO, Shoichiro Watanabe, fresh variants of the cells could be available as early as this year.

Panasonic plans to raise production output by about 10%. In order to accomplish this, it will invest $4 billion in the construction of a new factory in Kansas to manufacture 2170 cells. A new plant will be developed to produce the 4680 cells, which Tesla first announced during Battery Day in 2020.

The third factory's site will be announced by the end of the fiscal year in March, and it is expected to require "thousands of employees." Oklahoma was in the running, but Panasonic declined $700 million in state incentives to develop the new facility there, according to a December 2023 announcement.

Photo: Manny Becerra/Unspash