Buyers looking at a brand new Tesla Model S or Model X will no longer have to choose between rear- or all-wheel drive. Tesla announced in its December newsletter that both vehicles will arrive with standard all-wheel drive, Carscoops first reported on Thursday.
That leaves all future Model S and Model X vehicles with a "D" in their model names, which denotes the dual-motor setup to provide all-wheel drive. Tesla first introduced all-wheel drive three years ago. The model hierarchy remains the same for the time being for the Model S and Model X, with 75D, 100D, and P100D variants. The least expensive Model S is priced at $74,500 before any federal or local incentives or tax credits, while the Model X costs $79,500.
2017 Tesla Model X
Only one rear-wheel drive Model S remained after Tesla announced pricing changes to its lineup this past April. It was the Model S 75. Tesla also bumped the 100D and P100D prices up by $2,500 and $5,500, respectively.
The decision to axe rear-wheel drive from the company's more expensive offerings is likely a move to further differentiate them from the Model 3, which comes with standard rear-wheel drive. Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that the company will add a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup for the Model 3 in spring 2018 along with the brand's Smart Air Suspension. That could change, though, as the company has continuously had trouble mass producing the affordable electric car.
