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. No advance word was given about the cancellations, making it an abrupt ending for Tesla’s two original flagship EVs.
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 was the starkest example yet of Musk’s quest to transform Tesla from an automaker into an AI and robotics leader.
“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.
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.
