Vehicle sales

Tesla delivered 367,500 cars in 2019, 50% more than in 2018 and more than triple the number sold in 2017. At the end of 2019, Tesla's global sales since 2012 totaled over 891,000 units. As of October 2018update, Tesla's sales represented about 20% of the all-electric cars on the world's roads, according to Navigant Research. By November 2018, Tesla vehicles had traveled 10 billion miles (16 billion km).

Cumulative global sales (deliveries) of Tesla's electric vehicles by model through March 31, 2020 (total: 985,154 vehicles) Model (launch year) Units delivered Roadster (2008)   2,450 Model S+X (2012, 2015)   460,441 Model 3+Y (2017, 2020)   524,713 (In 2019, Tesla began combining sales figures for the Model S and Model X. In Q1 2020, Tesla began combining sales figures for the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.)

In 2016, BYD Auto was the world's top selling plug-in car manufacturer with 101,183 units sold, followed by Tesla with 76,243. However, Tesla revenues ranked first with $6.35 billion, while BYD notched $3.88 billion. Also in 2016, Tesla sold $1 billion worth of cars in China, the world's largest market for electric vehicles. In October of the following year it reached an agreement with the Chinese government to build a factory in Shanghai.

After ranking third by brand in 2017, behind BYD and BAIC, Tesla ranked as the world's best selling plug-in passenger car manufacturer in 2018, both as a brand and by automotive group, with 245,240 units delivered, capturing a market share of 12% of all plug-in cars sold globally in 2018, followed by BYD Auto with 227,152 plug-in passenger cars delivered.

In August 2015, Tesla launched a revamp of its stores to include interactive displays focused on safety, autopilot, charging network and motors. As of October 2016update, Tesla operated about 260 galleries or retail locations in the United States. In June 2016, Tesla opened its first store-within-a-store: a small outpost within the Nordstrom department store at The Grove shopping mall in Los Angeles. In 2017, Tesla opened retail locations in Dubai and South Korea.

Foreseeing Germany as its second market after the U.S. (and the largest in Europe), in 2016 Tesla stated the Dutch (Dienst Wegverkeer) RDW-issued Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) should be accepted as a legal compliance document, with no need to seek specific national type of approvals in EU member states. In 2017, Tesla had a $52 million marketing budget and used a referral program and word of mouth to attract buyers.

Country-specific sales

In 2019, as cars sold worldwide increased 50% from 2018, cars sold in the United States increased only 0.33%, to 192,250 cars, leading to overall revenue in the United States falling by 15%, the first time there has been a decline in revenue in the United States since 2014.

Tesla’s Model 3 was the 8th best selling car in the first quarter of 2020 in the United States.

In 2010, Elon Musk predicted electric Tesla vehicles would sell well in Japan, being second only to the United States; but in 2019, only 1,378 cars were sold in Japan.

Production and sales by quarter

Quarter	Cumulative production	Total production	Model S sales	Model X sales	Model 3 sales	Model Y salesa	Total salesb	In transitc	Source
Q3 2012	N/A	350	250+				250+
Q4 2012	N/A	2,750+	2,400				2,400
Q1 2013	N/A	5,000+	4,900				4,900
Q2 2013	N/A	N/A	5,150				5,150
Q3 2013	N/A	N/A	5,500+				5,500+
Q4 2013	~34,851	6,587	6,892				6,892
Q1 2014	~41,438	7,535	6,457				6,457
Q2 2014	~48,973	8,763	7,579				7,579
Q3 2014	~57,736	~7,075	7,785				7,785
Q4 2014	64,811	11,627	9,834				9,834
Q1 2015	76,438	11,160	10,045				10,045
Q2 2015	89,245	12,807	11,532				11,532
Q3 2015	102,336	13,091	11,597	6			11,603
Q4 2015	116,373	14,037	17,272	206			17,478
Q1 2016	131,883	15,510	12,420	2,400			14,820	2,615
Q2 2016	150,228	18,345	9,764	4,638			14,402	5,150
Q3 2016	175,413	25,185	16,047	8,774			24,821	5,065
Q4 2016d	200,295	24,882	12,700	9,500			22,254	6,450
Q1 2017	225,713	25,418	~13,450	~11,550			25,051	~4,650
Q2 2017	251,421	25,708	~12,000	~10,000			22,026	~3,500
Q3 2017	276,757	25,336	14,065	11,865	222		26,137	4,820
Q4 2017	301,322	24,565	~15,200	~13,120	1,542		29,967	3,380
Q1 2018	335,816	34,494	11,730	10,070	8,182		29,997	6,100
Q2 2018	389,155	53,339	10,930	11,370	18,440		40,740	15,058
Q3 2018	469,297	80,142	14,470	13,190	56,065		83,725	11,824
Q4 2018	555,852	86,555	13,500	14,050	63,359		90,700	2,907
Q1 2019	632,952	77,100	12,100		50,900		63,000	10,600
Q2 2019	720,000	87,048	17,650		77,550		95,200	7,400
Q3 2019	816,155	96,155	17,483		79,703		97,186
Q4 2019	921,046	104,891	19,450		92,550		112,000
Q1 2020	1,023,718	102,672	12,200		76,200		88,400
Q2 2020	1,105,990	82,272	10,600		80,050		90,650
Q3 2020	1,251,026	145,036	15,200		124,100		139,300

Tesla deliveries vary significantly by month due to regional issues such as availability of transportation and registration. Tesla does not follow the former auto industry standard of monthly reporting. GM and Ford changed from monthly to quarterly sales reporting in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and several other brands in the US auto industry also switched by 2020. Some monthly sales numbers are estimated by the media.

On March 9, 2020, the company produced its 1 millionth electric car, becoming the first auto manufacturer to achieve such a milestone.

US dealership disputes

Tesla operates stores and galleries—usually located in shopping malls—in many U.S. states. However, customers buy vehicles only from the Tesla website. The stores serve as showrooms that allow people to learn about the company and its vehicles. Some galleries are located in states with restrictive dealer protection laws that prohibit discussing prices or financing, or providing test drives, as well as other restrictions.

Forty-eight states have laws that limit or ban manufacturers from selling vehicles directly to consumers, and although Tesla has no independent dealerships, dealership associations in multiple states have filed lawsuits over Tesla's sales practices.

Countries other than U.S. do not protect dealers. The Federal Trade Commission recommends allowing direct manufacturer sales, which government analysts believe would save consumers 8% in average vehicle price.

In February 2019, Tesla announced that it would shut down the bulk of its stores and begin to sell cars exclusively through the internet. The next month, the company reversed its decision, saying in a government filing that it would only close about half the number of showrooms it had originally intended to.