In a short post on X (Twitter), Tesla announced that the final units of the Model S and Model X have left the assembly line at the Fremont factory in California.
This marks the conclusion of a defining chapter for the electric vehicle manufacturer which, along with Nissan (with the LEAF), was early into the high-volume EV transition.
The move this week sees Tesla shifting from its roots of being primarily an automaker towards a future which will centre on artificial intelligence (AI) and humanoid robotics.
The discontinuation follows a period of declining market share for the aging flagships models. In 2025, the Model S and Model X combined accounted for around just 3% of Tesla’s total global deliveries, a huge contrast to the volume-driving Model 3 and Model Y.
During the final months of production, Tesla’s ‘Other Models’ category – the Cybertruck and Semi – saw quarterly deliveries fall as low as 10,394 units. Despite a mid-2025 refresh, sales failed to rebound against newer luxury competitors from Porsche and Lucid.
Elon Musk regards the retirement of the two models – which had first established the brand’s credibility – as an ‘honourable discharge’. The Model S, launched in 2012, and the Model X, which followed in 2015, were instrumental in proving the viability of high-performance electric powertrains.
Switch to robot production
The space vacated by the S and X lines is already being configured for the mass production of the Optimus humanoid robot. Tesla aims to reach a production capacity of 1 million robots annually at the factory, with manufacturing expected to begin from July 2026.
While custom orders for the flagship vehicles are no longer being accepted, the company has confirmed it will maintain software support and parts availability for the existing global fleet.
The departure of these models leaves the Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck as the primary pillars of Tesla’s automotive line-up. With the flagship production lines now dark, the company’s focus shifts entirely to the next phase of its evolution: autonomous transport and physical AI.
