On Friday, Tesla’s website in China removed the ‘order’ button from the Model S sedan and Model X sport utility vehicle.
Electric vehicle-maker Tesla no longer takes orders in China for two car models manufactured in the United States.
The Model S and Model X are manufactured at Tesla’s Fremont factory in California, the carmaker’s original assembly plant.
Tesla did not provide an explanation for why the models can no longer be ordered. However, the change came after the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) raised its tariffs on imported U.S. goods from 34 percent to 84 percent on Thursday, following Trump’s decision on Monday to raise U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods to 104 percent.
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The two models accounted for less than 0.5 percent of Tesla’s sales last year.
Tesla opened its first factory abroad in Shanghai in December 2019. The 212-acre “Gigafactory” produces the Model 3 midsize sedan and Model Y SUV.
Tesla has been facing fierce competition from Chinese EV-makers, notably BYD, with its cheapest model sitting at roughly a third of the price of Tesla’s entry-level Model 3. While Tesla’s global sales dropped 1.1 percent in 2024—its first decline ever—BYD reported a 29 percent jump from the previous year.
(Left) Tesla vehicles on fire. (Right) the word ‘RESIST’ spray painted on the doors of a service center in Las Vegas on March 18, 2025. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Elon Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his outspoken stances on political issues at home and abroad have caused serious backlash in recent months, sparking a wave of vandalism against Tesla dealers and owners.
“There are times when there are rocky moments,” Musk said, “But what I’m here to tell you is that the future is incredibly bright and exciting.”
Tesla shares have plunged by nearly 40 percent since the beginning of the year and have fallen by 50 percent from a record high in December 2024.