Fan of the yoke? That’ll be $250, please.
When Tesla revealed its redesign of the Model S a little while ago, its most controversial change by far was the addition of the yoke steering wheel. Instead of a traditional steering wheel that, you know, is a full circle, the new Model S opted for a yoke design that is normally found in Formula 1 cars. While the design undoubtedly looked cool in photos, Tesla got a lot of pushback due to its ergonomic issues at lower speeds.
The debate over the yoke went on for so long that the company even offered to switch out the yoke for a more traditional steering wheel for customers who complained. While some thought Tesla might abandon the yoke altogether, a new update to its configurator begs to differ.
As spotted by Electrek, the company has made an update to its online configurator for the Model S and Model X. If you start configuring an order for either vehicle, you’ll now have the option to choose the type of steering wheel you want. While the standard steering wheel is included, the company is now charging a $250 premium for the yoke steering wheel.
It’ll be interesting to see how many customers choose to pay more for the yoke option going forward. Tesla has obviously made peace with the fact that most customers are fine with the standard steering wheel and that the yoke will be more of a niche option.
As Tesla pulls the yoke as a standard option for its high-end vehicles, General Motors is going scorched earth and ending production of the Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV entirely. The company announced during its Q1 2023 earnings call that it will be ending production of the model by the end of the year and redirecting its efforts to electric trucks.
