Elon Musk calls this Tesla Model X decision ‘Idiotic'

Tesla Inc. made an “idiotic" decision more than a year ago when it paused production of the Tesla Model X while introducing an updated version, Elon Musk said.

Tesla first delivered the Model X at a launch event in September 2015 (REUTERS)

Tesla Inc. made an “idiotic” decision more than a year ago when it paused production of the Model X while introducing an updated version, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said. The move in December 2020 had ramifications on production that are still vexing the electric-vehicle maker, Musk said in a tweet Wednesday. The company delivered the first refreshed Model X last fall.

“We dropped the ball badly regarding new Model X production ramp & still haven't fully recovered,” Musk wrote. “Was idiotic to stop production of old X in Dec 2020 when there was still plenty of demand!”

The tweet is a moment of candid introspection from Musk, the world's richest person, whose relentless drive helped build the Austin, Texas-based company into the world's most valuable automaker, even with global unit sales that trail rivals.

Tesla first delivered the Model X at a launch event in September 2015 after struggling to perfect the vehicle's so-called falcon-wing doors. 

Production of the Tesla Model X and Tesla Model S -- which the company reports jointly -- tumbled 55% in 2021 from the prior year, Tesla said in its earnings report last month. The models accounted for just 2.6% of the vehicles it made last year.