Tesla's Solution For Canceled Right-Hand-Drive Models Is A Joke

Tesla made the decision to scrap RHD derivatives to lower production costs and also help it meet the high rate of orders. While the smaller Model 3 and Model Y will still be offered as RHD vehicles in RHD markets, it's especially disappointing that customers paying the most for the company's halo models will be stuck manipulating a plastic arm. The move also makes Tesla one of the very few automakers to force UK customers into an LHD car, with its main rivals all offering proper RHD cars.

While some thought The Reacher was a joke, other commenters were decidedly unimpressed. One described the grabber as "a kick in the teeth," while another pointed out that you won't be able to "use a drive-through, get a parking ticket, use a toll road, or get on a ferry without a passenger."

Perhaps The Reacher is no surprise for a car company that often breaks the rules and follows its own path, regardless of who it upsets along the way. Consider Tesla's NACS charging connector, which is different from the connectors used by manufacturers of all other EVs. Following Ford's lead, multiple automakers' EVs will soon be compatible with Tesla'ssupercharging port, so Tesla has the last laugh on this one.

Fortunately, not everything Tesla does is copied, be it its testing of inconsistent driver-assistance technologies on public roads or its dramatically fluctuating prices that often leave customers fuming. We'd be surprised if the LHD-only Model S and Model X models in the UK don't suffer a drop in sales; unlike some of Tesla's other questionable choices, this is a factor that will prove disruptive to the driving experience every day.