Tesla Sales Data & Trends for the U.S Automotive Market

Tesla Motors was founded in 2003 and started building electric cars in 2008, led by Elon Musk, who had made his fortune by founding PayPal and other tech companies. The brand has always made 100% electric cars, starting with the Tesla Roadster, based on the platform of the Lotus Elise. In 2012, the company started production of its first mass-market EV sedan, the Model S, which put Tesla on the map as a disruptor of the automobile industry. In the fourth quarter of 2015, the Model X SUV with gullwing rear doors was launched, followed by the Model 3 sedan in 2017, which has become the most successful electric car so far and the first electric model to become “mainstream”, offering better value and performance than its ICE rivals.

Tesla was the first manufacturer to reach 200,000 cumulative sales of EVs in the United States, reaching the end of its government subsidy cap of $7,500 per vehicle sold, which means from January 2020 no Tesla vehicle sold in the US will receive any subsidies. General Motors is the second manufacturer to reach that level, with subsidies ending April 2020 while all other manufacturers are still far behind and thus still enjoying their tax credits.

Also find Tesla sales in Europe. Sales figures for the Tesla Model S, Model X, Model 3.

Monthly Vehicle Sales

Annual Vehicle Sales

Annual Vehicle Sales Chart

Market Share Chart

Please note: Tesla US monthly sales are estimates, the annual total are exact figures based on the company’s quarterly reports. From 2020 onwards we will no longer provide monthly estimates. You will find Q1 data in the March data field, Q2 data in June, Q3 data in September and Q4 data in December.

Sources: Manufacturers, ANDC