Tesla has delivered a record-breaking 308,600 electric vehicles globally in the fourth quarter of 2021, beating analysist expectations.
In total for 2021, Tesla delivered 936,172 electric vehicles, an 87.4% increase compared to the 499,550 units delivered in 2020.
Most of the deliveries were for Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y vehicles amounting to 911,208 units for the year, whereas its Model S and Model X falcon wing SUV represented just 3% of deliveries overall.
As Tesla continues to expand production and push its EVs into the mainstream, the American company is set to break further records in 2022, delivering a projected 1.5 million units in total, according to data gathered by Finbold.
Finbold said in its report: “Overall, Tesla deliveries are one of the most closely watched metrics for the company. The metric usually underpins the company's financial results and highlights the market's demand for electric vehicles.”
While many auto manufacturers faced supply issues in 2021 due to the ongoing global semiconductor shortage, Tesla was able to ramp up production as it designs its chips in-house, thereby gaining a competitive advantage. At the same time, Tesla has also reprogrammed software to use less scarce chips.
Tesla’s chief executive Elon Musk says the company’s goal is for vehicle sales volumes to hit 20 million annually over the next nine years.
To help achieve this level of growth, the company will this year begin production of its Model Y crossover at its new factory in Austin, Texas.
Elon Musk said on Twitter that Tesla has recently moved its headquarters to Texas in what will be a £10bn investment over time, generating at least 20,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs.