Tesla has canceled the most costly variant of its flagship sedan, the Model S Plaid Plus, in line with a tweet from CEO Elon Musk on Sunday.
Previously, Tesla and Musk promised followers the tri-motor, Plaid Plus model of their new Model S would give drivers 1,100 horsepower, 520 miles of vary on a totally charged battery, and acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in lower than two seconds.
On Sunday, Musk wrote on Twitter, the place he has a follower rely above 50 million:
“Plaid+ is canceled. No need, as Plaid is just so good.” He added, “0 to 60mph in under 2 secs. Quickest production car ever made of any kind. Has to be felt to be believed.”
In March, Tesla raised the value of the Model S Plaid Plus by $10,000 bringing it to about $150,000. The choice to order the Model S Plaid Plus variant was faraway from Tesla’s web site across the final week of May, in line with a CNET report.
The remaining high-end model of the Model S Plaid will price round $119,900 and have a 390-mile vary battery, with 1,020 horsepower and acceleration from 0 to 60 miles per hour in two seconds, amongst different options.
Musk beforehand planned a “delivery” ceremony at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California for the Model S Plaid on June 3. As the date approached, he delayed this till June 10 saying the car nonetheless wanted “one more week of tweak.”
Like different North American automakers, Tesla has been grappling with provide chain points particularly a computer chip shortage.
The firm just lately removed radar sensors and lumbar help from the entrance passenger seats in its lower-priced Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover for purchasers in North America.
It produced not one of the higher-priced Model S or Model X vehicles during the first quarter of 2021, regardless that Musk had stated manufacturing was underway throughout a 2020 fourth-quarter earnings name.
By April 26 on Tesla’s subsequent earnings name Musk was saying:
“Q1 had some of the most difficult supply chain challenges that we’ve ever experienced in the life of Tesla. Insane difficulties with the supply chains with parts, over the whole range of parts. Obviously, we were upset about the chip shortage. This is a huge problem.”
He additionally spoke about technical challenges creating and determining the way to manufacture new variations of the Model S sedan and Model X SUV.
“There were more challenges than expected in developing the Plaid Model S or the Paladium program, which is a new version of the Model S and X, which has a revised interior and new battery pack and new drive units and new internal electronics and has resembled a high-station level infotainment system.” He added, “It took quite a bit of development to ensure that the battery of the new S and X is safe.”
Meanwhile the corporate has elevated costs for various variants of its extra fashionable Model 3 and Model Y autos within the U.S. a number of instances this 12 months. Musk blamed the value will increase on provide chain points as properly. He wrote in a tweet on May 31, “Prices increasing due to major supply chain price pressure industry-wide. Raw materials especially.”
