Tesla is pulling the plug on its Model S and Model X vehicles — and plans to let anyone build them. The company is ending production of both models and will reportedly open source the designs and software as output winds down at its Fremont factory.
A decade-long run winds down
The Model S launched in 2012 and quickly became Tesla's flagship sedan, known for its Ludicrous Mode acceleration and falcon-wing doors on the later Model X SUV. But sales have slowed as the company focused on higher-volume models like the Model 3 and Model Y. Now, with production ending, Tesla is reportedly preparing to release the full design files and software stack for both vehicles under an open-source license.
What open-sourcing means
Releasing the engineering blueprints and code means anyone — hobbyists, small manufacturers, even competitors — could theoretically replicate or modify the cars. Tesla hasn't said which license it will use or when the files will go live. But the move mirrors the company's 2014 decision to open its electric vehicle patents, a strategy CEO Elon Musk has described as a way to accelerate the industry's shift away from fossil fuels.
It's a notable shift for vehicles that once defined the brand. The Model S and Model X were Tesla's first mass-market successes. Letting their designs go free could extend their life beyond the factory gates, as third parties build replacement parts or even new cars from the plans.
Fremont factory pivots
The Fremont, California plant won't sit idle. Tesla is shifting the floor space and equipment to other activities — likely expanded production of the Model 3 and Model Y, and possibly the Cybertruck and Semi. The company hasn't detailed how many jobs will be affected or whether the line workers who built the S and X will be reassigned.
The end of Model S and Model X production marks the close of an era for Tesla. The cars put the company on the map and helped prove that electric vehicles could be fast, luxurious, and desirable. Now they'll become open-source artifacts, available to anyone with a welder and a microcontroller.
What the Fremont factory will build next — and how quickly the open-source files arrive — are the questions that remain.
