Tesla has recommenced selling its premium Model S sedan and Model X SUV outside North America, adding pricing for both Plaid tri-motor variants.
First unveiled by Tesla in 2019 and caught smashing an unofficial lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the Plaid was launched in mid-2021 and billed as the “fastest production car ever” (referring to its “insane” acceleration.)
In Germany, the Plaid Model S is priced from 137,990 euros (almost $A202,000 at today’s rates), and the Plaid Model X is priced from 140,990 euros (a little more than $206,000 at today’s rates).
According to the order page, those delivering today will receive their vehicle between December 2022 and February 2023.
The return of the Model S and Model X to Tesla’s European order pages is an indication that production of low-volume vehicles is getting back on track after what has been a challenging year for the entire manufacturing industry.
The Plaid Model S and Model X were originally slated for a late 2020 launch. After shutting down production to retool its Model S and Model X lines in Fremont in early 2021 in order to start Plaid tri-motor production, all deliveries of the premium electric sedan and SUV were halted for global markets.
Tesla also removed pricing for both models from the websites of its overseas order pages later that year. This has included Australia, as well as Europe.
However, pricing for the Plaid Model S and Plaid Model X, which is the company’s top-of-line variant for both vehicles, has reappeared on European left-hand-drive market pages.
The UK, which is a right-hand-drive market like Australia, still has no pricing for either vehicle although it is possible to place an order.
The new pricing on Tesla’s European order pages is only visible for the premium Plaid variant. The “vanilla” dual motor AWD variant is not priced, and is greyed out (cannot be clicked).
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model 3 and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.
