After Sept. 24 Tesla will discontinue its cheapest option, the rear-wheel-drive Model S 75. Eliminating the option means it will now cost $74,500 for a base level Model S unless Tesla also updates its pricing.
There would be a nearly $40,000 difference in price between Tesla’s base level flagship sedan and its mass-market effort with the Model 3. Tesla said in July it planned to eliminate the rear-wheel-drive Model S, but didn’t provide a timeline. The company today told Electrek and Business Insider that Sunday would be the last day the rear-wheel-drive option is available for order.
Tesla’s Model S lineup will now be all dual-motor all-wheel-drive vehicles, which will likely help streamline production. The cars have previously worn a “D” badge – 75D, 100D, and P100D – designating the dual-motor configuration. It’s unclear if Tesla will also streamline the naming system and drop the “D.”
The Model X is already only available with dual motor all-wheel drive. So, now the Model 3 will be the only car in the lineup being produced with rear-wheel drive. Elon Musk has said that reduced configuration complexity helps ramp early production and an all-wheel-drive dual-motor Model 3 will come sometime in 2018.