A Tesla executive revealed on a recent podcast appearance that the Model S and Model X will receive an update at some point this year. The large electric sedan and SUV, which represent the upper tier of Tesla’s product range, were last updated in 2021 when they received new interiors, styling updates, and performance upgrades. The 2021 refresh, however, did not translate into significantly higher sales. The S and X still represent just a fraction of the company’s overall vehicle sales, which are dominated by the more affordable Model Y and Model 3.
What Was Said
Electrek reports that Lars Moravy, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering for Tesla, announced the Model S and Model X would be updated this year on the Ride The Lightning podcast.
“Just give it a minute. We’ll get there. The upgrade a few years ago was bigger than most people thought in terms of architecture and structure. We’ll give it some love later this year. Everyone here has a little place in their heard for S/X. They are not going anywhere anytime soon.”
It’s unclear exactly what “We’ll give it some love…” means, but the safe bet is the S/X will receive some of the same improvements the Model 3/Model Y have received in their recent redesigns. This may include the return of the turn signal stalk as well as efficiency improvements that increase the range to better compete with vehicles such as the Lucid Air and Rivian R1S.
If the Model S/Model X receive any sort of styling update, it’s unclear which design theme they may adopt. The Model 3 and Model Y, which were once virtual clones of each other, have deviated from each other with their most recent restylings. The new 3 is an evolution of the old 3, while the new Y takes after the Cybertruck and Cybercab with its full-length light bar across the front end.
By The Numbers
Despite Moravy stating “They are not going anywhere anytime soon,” the Model S and Model X have sold in such dismal numbers that it’s fair to question whether it’s a good business decision to continue selling them. According to Not A Tesla App, Tesla sold just 19,855 units of the Model X in the U.S. last year and 12,426 of the Model S, which represent declines of 19.8 and 31.2 percent, respectively. The Rivian R1S actually outsold the Model X by 35 percent (26,934 vehicles vs 19,855).
Tesla, however, has never been an automaker that refreshes its vehicles this soon after their last refresh. Instead, it iterates its vehicles on the fly through software updates and mechanical changes under the skin that happen without fanfare. Once in a blue moon, its vehicles will receive a traditional refresh, but they usually happen every 4-6 years compared to every 2-3 years for the rest of the industry.
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