Model 3 Soars To 6th Best Selling Sedan In November

Tesla shares its quarterly global sales figures at the beginning of each quarter. It breaks down those sales by model, but it doesn’t break down sales by country or by month. As such, anyone providing a Tesla sales figure for the US for any given model in any given month is either pulling your leg or just providing their best estimate based on various clues they’ve gathered.

CleanTechnica‘s Tesla Model 3 US sales estimate for the month of November is 18,000. That estimate makes it the 6th best selling car in the country (in terms of units sold). Every model above the Model 3, interestingly, saw their sales decline month over month. Actually, if you click through the months in the second chart below, especially starting in August, you’ll notice a gradual decline in the sales of the top 4 models — the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Honda Civic, and Toyota Corolla. (Hat tip to Paul Fosse for that note.)

cidflekken - 12/5/2018 11:35:02 AM

+4 Boost

As much as I don't like the styling of the Model 3, 18K units of a pretty pricey car is impressive in just the US. Now, if only they can make it NOT look like a toad..LOL

SanJoseDriver - 12/5/2018 1:52:18 PM

-2 Boost

TMNT

Car4life1 - 12/5/2018 7:39:20 PM

+1 Boost

Also surprised to see the CLA on the list, but i somehow think they meant C Class as the CLA has never sold more than 3k per mnonth to my knowledge

Truthy - 12/5/2018 12:29:34 PM

+4 Boost

Like October a lot of this is filling backorders (two years worth). Actual new demand is slowing considerably. And once the government stops paying consumers to buy them sales will slow to a trickle.

Hauerg - 12/9/2018 11:47:53 AM

0 Boost

Believe what you want.
You qualify as CEO for an ICE maker.

mre30 - 12/5/2018 12:52:26 PM

+4 Boost

These Tesla stories sure are entertaining. I will miss them, if Tesla goes down the tubes after the Weds Feb 20, 2019 FY2018 Earnings Release date
https://www.marketscreener.com/TESLA-6344549/calendar/

SanJoseDriver - 12/5/2018 1:53:24 PM

-1 Boost

Are you linking to the fast that Tesla stock is at $360 and Market Cap just exceeded Mercedes?

EVisNow - 12/5/2018 1:01:18 PM

+1 Boost

The mighty Porsche has taken notice. According to Porsche North America chief executive Klaus Zellmer, “If you look at what Tesla has done, if you look at their volume and look at their price level, it’s truly astonishing. If you can do that with one brand and a sales network that is not comprised of dealers and a real sales organization, it’s even more astonishing.”

It's a pity other American car companies can't see farther than their next few quarters of operation with zero vision.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 12/5/2018 1:45:06 PM

0 Boost

Great quote @EVisNow. That is the true miracle of Tesla's market acceptance. Any other firm would give their eye teeth for luxury car prices and sales volume like this. If they can keep the wolf from the door, they just might make it after all.

SanJoseDriver - 12/5/2018 1:55:24 PM

-2 Boost

A year ago, who would have thought they would have achieved this. Yet people here still think Tesla is going to be bankrupt in Q1... ::shaking head::

EVisNow - 12/5/2018 2:18:46 PM

-2 Boost

I am fascinated by how people cannot tell the difference between an estimate by an outsider and actual figure provided by the company.

AFAIK, Tesla doesn't provide individual sales number by month or by markets. Numbers you see on CleanTechnica or InsideEVs are estimates, and are typically pretty close. Use them as a guide, or wait for the quarterly reports to see official data from the company.

Hauerg - 12/9/2018 11:50:45 AM

+1 Boost

Why do you need to show to us that you are an idiot?
Look up „estimates“ and similar complicated words.

Truthy - 12/5/2018 2:42:41 PM

+6 Boost

It is amazing that Tesla can sell $85,000 of technology for $60,000, incur an astonishing level of debt, pay two billion for a solar tile company with no revenue (and owned by his cousin) and yet people cannot see the train coming down the tracks.

pdperry23 - 12/5/2018 4:58:27 PM

-6 Boost

It is amazing how many stupid comments keep coming from these Tesla haters who have no idea what they are talking about!

TomM - 12/5/2018 5:32:02 PM

+10 Boost

And it is amazing how many stupid comments come from the Tesla Faithful - no matter the reality of the situation. Even Elon indicated that Tesla was close to going under when lots of us were predicting that - and being told we were wrong.

The fact is - we still do not have a way of knowing what will happen when the EV rebates are finished - and Tesla will have competition at every level - and no backlogue of "base model" Model 3s that they still cannot profitably produce but have accepted deposits on at that price. Either they will make them - and lose money on every one - or ..... WE still do not have any reliable estimate of how strong the EV market will be - and we STILL have virtually NO infrastructure to support even EVs at 5% of the total Personal Vehicle market. The answers are going to take a LONG time - decades at least.

Hauerg - 12/9/2018 11:52:23 AM

0 Boost

People who cannot read should not post.

MDarringer - 12/9/2018 12:55:29 PM

+1 Boost

@Hauerg that never stops TomM

222max - 12/5/2018 3:24:05 PM

-6 Boost

Telsa is something like the automotive Apple in that no matter how well they do pundits will always describe them as on the edge of going out of business.

supermoto - 12/5/2018 5:25:54 PM

+10 Boost

pdperry, 222max

Telsa is one of the worst run companies I have ever seen and could very well declare Ch 11 in the next 12 months (if they were smart, they would in order to reduce their debt burden). It has nothing to do with me or others hating the company. It's simply understanding accounting and financial statements. My credentials are 17 years as a finance professional with ~$10 billion in capital raises. How about you guys?

EVisNow - 12/5/2018 6:43:24 PM

-3 Boost

@supermoto: You much of that $10B did you use to short $TSLA ? I thank you for your donation. With your generosity, I was able to help Tesla hit a record Q3. Did Musk send you a short short ?

Keep up your fearless prediction and maybe short some more Tesla stock. That will help me get my free Roadster in 2020.

EVisNow - 12/5/2018 6:49:50 PM

-5 Boost

correction: "How much of that $10B ... "

Vette71 - 12/6/2018 11:33:28 AM

+8 Boost

EVisNow. When he says $10B in capital raises he's not talking about his personal funds. Its money a business raises.

EVisNow - 12/6/2018 1:41:38 PM

-4 Boost

Of course it's Other People's Money (OPM/Opium). Hedge funds do it every day, some of them contribute to the volatility of Tesla stock price via their nefarious method of shorting and spreading misinformation. Supermoto sounds like one of them - or a wannabe ?

Vette71 - 12/6/2018 3:42:46 PM

+1 Boost

Judge not lest you be judged.

Hauerg - 12/9/2018 11:55:09 AM

0 Boost

Your creds are worthless if you work in the same mode as als the wise guys worked when talking about Apple in the last 25 years.

Lovesponge76 - 12/5/2018 8:12:57 PM

-3 Boost

What the Auto Industry is totally missing is Tesla isn't doing well because of a car. Tesla is offering something new and innovative to a market that has grown accustomed to re-iterations of boring vehicles.

Truthy - 12/5/2018 11:17:00 PM

+11 Boost

222max, the difference between Apple and Tesla is that Apple has always made money, without tax incentives to move their products, without playing games with their financial disclosures.
The similarity is that there are people who for some reason need to worship a leader such as Jobs or Musk and are defensive and hostile to those who do not see these figures as infallible.

222max - 12/6/2018 10:10:24 AM

-5 Boost

But I think you just made my point. Apple, which just became a trillion dollar company, is STILL seen by many as teetering on the edge of disaster. Just read Forbes or Business Week any time the subject of Apple comes up. There will always be bias against its success no matter how well the company performs. That's what I'm saying abut Tesla. No other car company out there right now elicits so much skepticism and outright contempt. Even if Tesla may eventually work out a strong balance sheet I wonder if the press and others will be able to give them credit.

DinduNuffin - 12/6/2018 1:55:18 PM

-2 Boost

Yeah, the I-Pace has now sold 1300 total, while the Model 3 sold 100k.

Never a good idea to be a British car company universally known for electrical issues, only to release an all electric car.

Hauerg - 12/9/2018 11:57:32 AM

0 Boost

If you say Apple has ALWAYS made money you just set your credibility at 0 degrees Kelvin.

SanJoseDriver - 12/12/2018 3:15:42 AM

0 Boost

I guess you forgot about all those years when Apple was losing money and almost went under.

Truthy - 12/6/2018 10:19:52 AM

+9 Boost

The difference is still night and day. Apple has $267 billion cash on hand. When analyst comment on Apple results it is regarding their lost edge in new products. The competition has caught up. This will impact future earnings.
Tesla is witnessing the same thing. The competition is here (Jaguar) and more coming. The difference is Tesla is mired in debt, has little cash flow and goes through CFOs quickly.

SanJoseDriver - 12/12/2018 3:16:27 AM

0 Boost

It's current CFO has spent 8+ years at Tesla, not so truthy are you