© Joni Hanebutt/Dreamstime
Tesla Logo Steering Wheel Detail © Joni Hanebutt Dreamstime

Tesla Delivered Record Number of Cars in 2020

Jan. 4, 2021
Despite the record, the company narrowly missed its half a million sales target for the year.

Tesla delivered a record number of cars in 2020, the company said, just narrowly missing its half a million target for the year.

The pioneering high-end electric vehicle maker delivered 180,570 cars to customers and produced 179,757 in the fourth quarter of the year, it said in a statement Saturday.

Tesla's previous record was 139,300 vehicles delivered in the third quarter of 2020.

For the full year, Tesla delivered 499,550 cars to customers, just shy of its target of half a million, and produced 509,737 units.

The firm said its delivery count was conservative and that final numbers could vary by up to half a percentage point or more.

Tesla chief and co-founder Elon Musk hailed the figures as a "major milestone" for the firm.

"At the start of Tesla, I thought we had (optimistically) a 10% chance of surviving at all," the mercurial tech entrepreneur tweeted.

Tesla's entry-level Model 3 and its crossover Model Y accounted for nearly 86 percent of deliveries, with the balance split between the luxury Model S sedan and the Model X SUV.

The company also said Saturday that production of its Model Y had begun at its Chinese plant in Shanghai, with deliveries expected to begin shortly.

Tesla has long aimed to manufacture electric cars for the masses and in September Musk, the world's second richest person, said developments in battery technology meant the firm was looking at fielding a $25,000 model in around three years' time.

The company joined the prestigious Standard & Poor's 500 stock index on December 21.

Though its car production is modest compared with rivals, Tesla's growth prospects have spurred investors to push up its value so that it is now worth more than General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Fiat Chrysler and Volkswagen combined.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2020

Popular Sponsored Recommendations

7 Crucial Steps to Improve Your OT Security

Oct. 23, 2023
Enhance OT security in manufacturing and production. Uncover the crucial steps to safeguard your operational technology. Protect against evolving threats and bridge the IT-OT ...

How to Build Zero-Cost On-Site Solar and Storage Projects

Nov. 25, 2023
The Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits, incentives, and financing that enable no-cost projects. In Enel’s eBook, discover the critical role that incentives play in your...

Shifting Your Business from Products to Service-Based Business Models: Generating Predictable Revenues

Oct. 27, 2023
Executive summary on a recent IndustryWeek-hosted webinar sponsored by SAP

Disruptive EV Technologies Are Driving New Supplier Realities

Sept. 20, 2023
Vehicle electrification is upending the automotive landscape, forcing suppliers to make critical strategic and operational decisions. Understand what that means for you in our...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of IndustryWeek, create an account today!