Tesla Model 3 dominates global EV sales, chases down fossil fuel competitors

Global sales of the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan are blowing all other electric vehicle (EV) competitors out of the water, selling almost 3 times more globally than its nearest competitor in the first half of 2019.

There were 128,000 Tesla Model 3s delivered to customers worldwide in the first six months, well ahead of Chinese-made BJEV which sold 49,000 of its EU-series and almost four times as many Nissan Leafs.

But comparisons against other EV models are getting to be old hat – it’s the comparison of Model 3 sales to comparative internal combustion engine (ICE) models that tells the real tale in the latest figures from EV sales database EV-Volumes.

EV-Volumes lists Tesla Model 3’s major ICE competitors as the BMW 3 and 4 series, Mercedes Benz C-Class and Audi A4 and A5 – which this table immediately above shows sold in the vicinity of 200,000 for each brand (noting that this means multiple models).

The Model 3 is already reaching more than half of their global sales – no mean feat and yet another indicator of the vehicle’s global success.

In the first half of 2018, when the Model 3 was only on sale in the US, there were under 30,000 units delivered to customers, but sales have increased four-fold since its release on European, Chinese and now right-hand markets including the UK and more recently Australia.

In terms of total plug-in electric vehicle sales, which includes both battery electric (BEV) and plug-in electric (PHEV), overall sales were up 46% for H1 2019 year on year (YoY).

The increase – 358,000 units – is equal to the entire US EV market share for 2018. The market as a whole also saw a marked shift to BEV sales compared to PHEV sales, with three-quarters of plug-in sales in the first six months of 2019 being battery electric.

China accounted for the lion’s share of that growth in the global EV market, with a 66% increase on H1 2018 sales.

That was a bigger percentage than the US, probably reflecting the biggest jump (89%) in 2018 when the Tesla 3 overcame production difficulties and filled a backlog of orders, and the fact that other big US car-makers are yet to embrace EVs in the same way as other countries.

Early figures for July showed some slowing of plug-in sales compared to the first half as revised Chinese subsidy schemes came into full effect – no surprise there considering that for H1 2019 China accounted for 57% of EV sales globally.

As for Australia, EV-Volumes does not yet count EV sales here – they are still way too sparse to warrant attention.

Data however from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has captured a positive shift in EV sales here of late, albeit without the all-important Model 3 sales figures.

However as indicated by Tesla delivery staff it appears that since it became available in Australia in August 2019 there are already some thousands of Model 3s slated for delivery making it also now the most popular EV in Australia, as it is overseas.