Tesla‘s large gross sales surge in latest months made the EV maker seem like a positive guess to overhaul BMW to develop into the posh phase chief for 2021.
However in line with newly launched U.S. car registration information from Experian, BMW managed to hold on to its crown for the 12 months. Tesla got here in at No. 2, forward of Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.
Tesla may have one other shot to dethrone legacy rivals for the highest spot this 12 months, as a brand new manufacturing unit in Texas boosts manufacturing of the favored Mannequin Y crossover, Tesla’s bestselling mannequin.
Experian mentioned in a report this week that BMW had 347,453 new automobiles registered within the U.S. in 2021, whereas Tesla had 342,412 — a distinction of simply 5,041 automobiles.
It has been a heated race.
Tesla registrations surged 71 p.c over 2020, whereas BMW’s grew 24 p.c 12 months over 12 months, in line with Experian. These numbers counsel that Tesla has important momentum going into 2022, though semiconductor shortages will doubtless play an essential function within the luxurious automobile race.
The 2021 registration information has been intently watched as a result of Tesla would not get away U.S. gross sales from its world supply numbers.
Trade analysts look to state-by-state registration numbers for clues about the place the EV chief sits in contrast with its rivals. Globally, Tesla gross sales rose 87 p.c final 12 months to 936,172 from its factories in California and China, the automaker mentioned.
However gross sales and registration numbers do not monitor completely for a wide range of causes. Autos offered in a single month may be registered in one other, and a few registration information might embrace estimates when precise numbers are unavailable, analysts mentioned. Some trade estimates put Tesla gross sales increased than BMW for 2021.
“When the numbers are shut, it is onerous to declare a winner whenever you aren’t all the time evaluating apples to apples,” mentioned Jessica Caldwell, government director of insights at Edmunds. Registration information is commonly helpful when analyzing numbers not made public by automakers, corresponding to fleet gross sales, she mentioned.
BMW’s personal gross sales information put deliveries final 12 months at 336,644. Lexus mentioned it offered 304,475 automobiles, and Mercedes reported official deliveries of 276,102.
In the end, producer gross sales information is the official file, Caldwell mentioned, due to the guesswork that goes into calculating Tesla’s numbers.
For instance, a 2021 gross sales estimate from Cox Automotive gave Tesla the sting over BMW with 352,471 U.S. deliveries.
“Tesla did not solely dominate the EV market, Tesla dominated the general luxurious market, outselling Audi, BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz within the U.S.,” Cox mentioned final month.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has estimated that the corporate’s world gross sales will rise by no less than 50 p.c this 12 months as factories in Berlin and Austin, Texas, come on-line within the first a part of 2022. The Texas manufacturing unit will first make the Mannequin Y and sure subsequent 12 months the Cybertruck.
Different particulars from this week’s Experian registration report:
- The Mannequin Y was the bestselling EV within the U.S. final 12 months, with 169,325 registrations.
- The Tesla Mannequin 3 sedan was No. 2 in EV gross sales, with 151,599 registrations.
- The Ford Mustang Mach-E was third, with 25,695, and the Chevrolet Bolt was in fourth place, with 23,078, Experian mentioned.
- California was by far the main state for EV registrations, with 169,995 new registrations amongst all manufacturers, an 80 p.c enhance over 2020.
- Texas, now house to Tesla’s headquarters after they moved from California final 12 months, was far behind, with simply 28,818 registrations. Nonetheless, that was greater than double the state’s 2020 quantity.
