Tesla was the fourth-largest luxury vehicle brand in the United States in 2020 on the back of a bumper year for the automaker.
Data from the Automotive News Research & Data Center, Experian, confirms that Tesla recorded 200,561 registrations in the U.S. last year, easily topping Audi that reported 183,594 registrations. Taking the luxury crown was BMW with 287,259 registrations, ahead of Lexus with 271,384 and Mercedes-Benz with 265,600 (excluding the Sprinter and Metris).
Tesla does not disclose U.S. sales and only reports deliveries on a global scale, meaning the only way to determine the company’s success in individual markets is to comb through registration data. A grand total of 14.6 million vehicles were sold in the U.S. last year, of which 14.2 million were registered.
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Auto News believes that while Tesla’s sales continued to rise throughout 2020, its growth in the U.S. could slow in 2021 as legacy automakers begin to hit the market with rivals. For example, Mercedes-Benz will start selling the EQS sedan in the United States this year. The German automaker will also stress its experience and superior manufacturing capabilities to luxury buyers tempted by Tesla’s electric offerings.
Kelley Blue Book notes that customer consideration among Tesla buyers declined in the fourth quarter of 2020 with new competition just around the corner. With that being said, the facelifted Model S and Model X are expected to bolster sales of the two aging models.
“Tesla was first to go all-in on EVs; it really was the only game in town,” executive analyst for Autotrader Michelle Krebs said. “Innovation and technology along with sophistication is a winning combo. The consumer’s kind of fickle. Whatever’s new kind of captures their attention.”
