A minnow it might be, compared to the Daimler and BMW AG groups, but Tesla has managed to beat both in the third quarter of the year – at least in the US.
Specifically, it sold 9,156 units of the Model S, while sales of the 7-Series and S-Class were 3,634 and 3,138 units respectively. So, for now, Elon Musk’s all-electric saloon is the undisputed king of the large exec segment.
According to Digital Trends, Tesla pointed out that the number could indeed be higher. “Our Q3 delivery count should be viewed as slightly conservative, as we only count a car as delivered if it is transferred to the customer and all paperwork is correct,” they said in a statement.
The launch of the impressive P100D, which was rated by the EPA with a 315-mile (507 km) range, as well as the updated Autopilot might have something to do with this impressive result. Worldwide sales of the Model S during that period stand at 15,800 cars, while Tesla’s other model, the Model X SUV, also posted an impressive Q3 result, with 8,700 deliveries.
In just three years, Elon Musk’s startup has managed to increase its production five-fold, to 100,000 units. This is just the beginning, though, for the ambitious entrepreneur, who is targeting half a million sales once his 3-Series fighter, the Model 3, hits the market next year.
Based on the spectacular reception, with nearly 400,000 pre-orders when the first prototypes were launched, this looks like a realistic projection – if Tesla manages to be on schedule this time, that is…
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