Tesla Motors has under-performed this year according to reports, with information suggesting the manufacturer is well under its sales projections for 2015.
Tesla issued a letter to shareholders earlier in the month explaining that it predicted at least 50,000-52,000 units to be shipped in 2015. In reality however Tesla is said to have rolled out 36,674 silent models from the factory floor.
Its first estimate equates to an average of 4200 units monthly to meet the 52,000-unit goal, however, it is currently averaging around 3700 units per month. This could be due to production not being able to keep up with demand.
If Tesla is to manage the goal it will have to double its current sale rate. In fact, it needs to sell around 15,000 more vehicles before the end of the year. This is obviously going to be a very tall order.
Unfortunately, Tesla doesn’t officially release its monthly sales figures in Australia so it’s very hard to know how well the company is doing locally. As a guide though we can take a look at the monthly electric vehicle sales, and for that, they have increased a staggering 94.7 per cent year-to-date compared with 2014.
Tesla currently sells only the Model S and Roadster in Australia, but overseas it also sells the new Model X SUV which is due to arrive locally later in 2016. A new mid-size sedan, called the Model 3, is coming some time in the next 18 months as well, and it’s expected to be the best-seller for the company.
they have a good problem – backlog of orders.. but they need to build and sell… its hard to see this company growing when they constantly rely on the backlog of old orders. tesla sales can be tracked thru Registration authorities in each state – they (fans) believe there are some 500 Teslas on the road. is it enough or does it make any difference to global tesla plans? only God knows.
A couple of reasons for this:
– Model X design and production – and now production ramp up – behind schedule.
– Dual motor Model S design and production delayed at beginning of year
– Entire production halted earlier in year for dual motor and new battery sizes (70 and 90) factory retooling.
– Entire production halted again in 3rd quarter for a full week for more retooling (new paint shop, and Model X).
There is probably demand for them to have sold 100,000 cars this year. They just haven’t been able to make them fast enough. The wording in this article is a little deceptive. Tesla don’t have to sell more cars in the sense of finding a customer – they’ve already sold enough cars in the sense of finding customers, they just have not actually produced and delivered them yet to get counted. The amount of orders & deposits received this year would comfortably exceed the 52,000 number.
By the way Tesla don’t sell the roadster here or anywhere. It went out of production several years ago.