After almost 14 years in production, the Tesla Model S is no more, after the last example of the electric sedan rolled down the line in Fremont last week.
Regarded as the most revolutionary EV due to its role in the eventual mass adoption of the technology, as well as Tesla as a brand, the Model S bows out after sales dropped to less than one per cent of the company’s annual output.
The Model S was one of the world’s first mass produced and purchased EVs, and it was long the best-seller in the market before its smaller Model 3 replacement came along.
Alongside the final Model S to be produced was the last Model X SUV, which had a shorter production run of 11 years and was marginally more popular than its sedan counterpart.
The last Model S & the last Model X have been produced at Fremont Factory
14 years of history for Model S, 11 years for Model X
— Tesla (@Tesla) May 10, 2026
Tesla announced the Model S and Model X would be killed this year back in January, with CEO Elon Musk saying, “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”.
Most notably the Model S saw Tesla launch its ‘Plaid’ high-performance variant in 2021 following a facelift, becoming the brand’s fastest model and one of the quickest EVs in the world.
The Model X was launched later and shared the majority of its critical components with the Model S, though its unique ‘falcon’ doors set it apart from most SUVs on the market.
Both EVs were sold in Australia until they received facelifts in 2021, at which point Tesla stopped producing the Model S and Model X in right-hand-drive.
While they were once two of the most popular EVs on the market, the launch of the Model 3 and Model Y as the brand’s bread and butter vehicles has seen production of the Model S and Model X dip in recent years.
Last year, Tesla delivered 1,636,129 EVs globally, 1,585,279 of which were the Model 3 and Model Y, while the Model S, Model X, Cybertruck and Semi combined for just 50,850 of that overall figure.
By contrast, in 2018 it delivered 99,394 Model S and Xs, though at this time the Model 3 had already overtaken both with 145,846 deliveries.
Now, Tesla’s Fremont factory will pivot towards building the Optimus humanoid robots which will spearhead the brand’s transition to being a robotics and autonomy company.
Production of the Optimus robots is due to start before the end of the year, while sales will begin in 2027. Musk has claimed the Fremont facility could eventually build more than one million units annually.
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