Tesla sales up 30 percent

Tesla’s Q4 car production and delivery have cemented Tesla’s place in the mainstream. In Q4 of 2020, Tesla delivered 180,600 units and produced just under that same number. In terms of deliveries that is a 30% QoQ increase and a more than 70% YoY increase. Production levels increased similarly with the total number of cars produced in Q4 a 24% QoQ increase and over 70% YoY increase.

In 2020, Tesla also led the world in plug-in electric vehicle sales with an estimated 499,535 units sold more than doubling the next highest on the list, Volkswagen. This allowed Tesla to take the largest share of the plug-in electric vehicle market with 17.95%. Volkswagen was the only other producer that had a double-digit share of the market with 12.6%.

Tesla’s journey as a company began in 2003 but it was not until 2008 that the company began production of its first vehicle, the Tesla Roadster. The Roadster was of the premium sports car category which Musk accepted as the needed entry point for Tesla’s electric car business before he could proceed to his main goal of breaking through the mainstream.

With its next two vehicle models, the luxury Sedan Model S and the luxury SUV Model X,  Tesla started really making waves in the automotive world. Not only did the Model S become the best-selling plug-in electric car globally for the years 2015 and 2016, Tesla was doing so while also bagging numerous automotive awards.

In 2017 Tesla began selling its fourth vehicle, the Tesla Model 3 which was the first Tesla car truly meant for the mass market. In 2020, the Model 3 was the best selling plug-in electric vehicle model worldwide, with more than three times the amount sold of 2nd placed Wuling HongGuang Mini EV.