is transportation editor with 10+ years of experience who covers EVs, public transportation, and aviation. His work has appeared in The New York Daily News and City & State.
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Tesla will discontinue the Model S and Model X in the second quarter of 2026, Elon Musk said in an earnings call with investors today.
Musk said the reasons for cancelling the vehicle programs was to make room at Tesla’s Fremont factory for production of its Optimus humanoid robot.
“It’s time to basically bring the Model S and X programs to an end with an honorable discharge, because we’re really moving into a future that is based on autonomy,” he said. “So if you’re interested in buying a Model S and X, now would be the time to order it.”
The Model S is Tesla’s luxury sedan, first released in 2012, while the Model X was its SUV with gull-wing doors, introduced in 2015. Sales of both vehicles has been declining steadily, as the company shifted focus to its mass-market Model 3 and Model Y.
Tesla Model X Image: Tesla
In 2025, Tesla sold 50,850 “other models,” a category that includes Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck. That represented a 40.2 percent decrease in sales, year over year.
Musk has been attempting to transform Tesla from an automotive company to one that makes self-driving cars and humanoid robots. The transition has been rocky, with Tesla reporting a 61 percent decrease in profits in the fourth quarter.
Developing…