(Credit: Tesla)
Tesla is discontinuing some of its most iconic vehicles over the next six months. The electric car brand used its latest earnings results to tell investors that production of the Model S sedan and Model X SUV would shut down in Q2 2026.
“If you’d like to own one of them, now’s a good time to place your order," Tesla is telling customers. On the earnings call, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that current owners will see support “for as long as people have the vehicles, [but] 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.”
The brand confirmed in the same call that its factory in Fremont, California, where the Model S and Model X are currently produced, will be used to make its upcoming Optimus robots. The humanoid robots were first shown in 2022, and Tesla confirmed that a third-generation version of Optimus is expected in the coming months. This version is the first one designed for mass production and will see "major upgrades from version 2.5, including our latest hand design."
Musk previously said Tesla aims to begin producing Optimus units at scale by the end of 2026 and begin selling them in 2027. It eventually plans to make a million robots per year, but it hasn't provided a timeline for reaching that target.
Tesla will continue to sell its other car models, including the Model 3, Model Y, and its Cybertruck. The brand saw an 11% year-over-year drop in sales in 2025, so it is now refocusing on its other ambitions, such as robotics.
The Tesla Model S was first released in 2012 and made electric vehicles more appealing to the average car buyer. The Model X debuted in 2015, and both models saw internal and external tweaks over the years to keep them competitive as Tesla's rivals gained steam.