American EV manufacturer Tesla delivered 241,300 vehicles in the third quarter of this year, its highest-ever quarterly sales figure
Tesla has released its sales figures for the third quarter of 2021, and the manufacturer recorded some impressive numbers. A total of 241,300 vehicles were delivered globally by the company, including Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y. This is an all-time high for the brand, beating its previous record of 201,250 units, achieved in Q2 2021.
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y had a combined sales figure of 237,823 units, while the rest 9,275 units comprised Model S and Model X. Production numbers were just a little behind, with 228,882 units of the Model 3 and Model Y manufactured in Q3 of 2021, along with 8,941 units of Model S and Model X.
While many automakers around the world are struggling to keep their sales numbers up, largely due to the semiconductor chip shortage, Tesla seems to be unbothered by the crisis. The California-based manufacturer has been sourcing different (new) microcontrollers instead of the older ones, rewriting its software to be compatible with the new chips. Thanks to this workaround, it has been able to keep production steady.
Tesla is expecting to see further growth in coming times; its Gigafactory in Austin, Texas is set to become operational soon, as is its Gigafactory in Berlin, Germany. As such, production numbers are expected to go up in the near future. The brand has a few new models in the pipeline, including the next-gen Roadster and Cybertruck, both of which are expected to arrive in 2023.
Also, Tesla is planning to enter the Indian market, likely next year. Test mules of Model 3 and Model Y have been spotted a few times during road testing in the country, and the company has completed homologation for four products. Speculations suggest that these could be two variants each of the Model 3 and Y.
That said, it is yet to be decided how the manufacturer will proceed with its operations in the country. While Tesla has been lobbying for reducing taxes on fully imported EVs in India, the government is urging the company to start local production instead. However, Tesla isn’t sure if local manufacturing (or assembly) would be justified by the sales numbers.