This week is the last chance you'll have to purchase the Tesla Model S or Model X electric cars with a 75kWh battery. On Monday, the cheapest version of both models will be the much more expensive 100D.
As Engadget reports, the announcement was made by Elon Musk via Twitter with no explanation given as to why the decision had been taken to stop offering the smaller battery option. However, in the tweets that followed Musk confirmed that dropping the smaller battery was a move towards adopting the Model 3 way of representing vehicles with mid range, long range, and performance versions. So it seems likely the use of 100D and P100D to denote versions will disappear next.
Starting on Monday, Tesla will no longer be taking orders for the 75 kWh version of the Model S & X. If you’d like that version, please order by Sunday night at https://t.co/46TXqRJ3C1 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 9, 2019
By discontinuing the 75kWh battery, the price of both models increases considerably, for example, the 75D Model S costs $66,250, but when it disappears next week the cheapest Model S will be the $84,250 100D. The same is true of the Model X, with the 75D version costing $72,450. Next week, the cheapest Model X will cost $87,450.
Model 3 pricing ranges from $33,950 for the rear-wheel drive version up to $51,950 for the dual motor all-wheel drive version, so there's already a very clear pricing gap to the Model S and Model X. We always knew the Model 3 was Tesla's entry level car, but next week that becomes even more obvious.