Tesla has quietly removed the option to buy new Model S and Model X vehicles on its Chinese website as trade tensions between the U.S. and China heat up. The “place new order” button is now missing for both models, though customers can still order from existing inventory. Orders for other Tesla models like the Model 3 and Y—made at the company’s Shanghai factory—remain available.
The Model S and X are imported from the U.S., and analysts believe they’re likely being impacted by higher tariffs. “The two models are quite old and a bit expensive for the Chinese market anyway,” said CCB International analyst Qu Ke, to the Wall Street Journal.
This move comes as both countries ramp up trade measures. The White House clarified that total tariffs on Chinese goods could reach 145%, while China responded by hiking tariffs on U.S. goods to 125% and limiting U.S. film imports.
Tesla is also facing growing competition from local electric vehicle makers. In March, Tesla sold nearly 79,000 cars in China, down 11% from a year earlier. Just under 5,000 vehicles were exported.
