Tesla Steering Yoke Is Now A $250 Option

The Tesla steering yoke saga has taken another dramatic turn as what once was the only steering option on theModel Sand Model X has now become a $250 option as of this week. It's another interesting move by the company that has experienced almost nothing but scrutiny since announcing the steering wheel switch in 2021.

These past few months have been a whirlwind of rolling back the controversial yoke decision.

In early January, Tesla updated its configurator to allow a buyer to replace the yoke with anormal steering wheelas a no-cost option. Soon after, the company started offering owners the ability to retrofit their cars with a normal steering wheel for $700.

Thissold out almost immediately, and now with the yoke becoming a paid option, one has to wonder if the whole yoke escapade was just a cash grab from the beginning.

A yoke steering wheel, in theory, could make sense in production car applications but only if used in tandem with a steer-by-wire system. Tesla's application has the yoke connected to the steering column just like a regular wheel, meaning in day-to-day driving it's treated just like a normal steering wheel.

This highlights the design's glaring flaws as soon as a sharp turn or U-turn is required and creates a frustrating learning curve that hasn't existed with a new car for a long time.

Not to mention, the yokes were terribly built, falling apart in the owner's hands after only a short period of time in use. This is due to the 'vegan' leather the company uses being more susceptible to degradation from common things like hand sanitizer and lotion.