Tesla is California’s New Car Sales Leader Now
Following multiple price cuts in the first few months of the year, Tesla now finds itself in an unprecedented position as the overall best-selling car brand in EV-obsessed California.
The strong results posted in April and May were no fluke. With 69,212 units delivered in the second quarter (Q2) of 2023, Tesla beat Toyota for the sales lead. The latter delivered 67,482 units.
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The two are neck and neck since the beginning of the year, with Toyota having sold 133,375 new vehicles versus Tesla’s 123,482. At this pace, obviously, the Elon Musk-led automaker will remain No. 1 at the end of 2023 (4.1 percent year-over-year increase in Q2 and 2.5 percent in H1).
Production at Tesla’s Fremont, Calif. factory is ramping up, too.
When it comes to the best-selling vehicles in the Golden State, Tesla has the lead and it’s not even close. The Model Y and Model 3 found 74,765 and 41,718 takers, respectively, during the first six months of the year, far more than the next closest performers—Toyota’s Camry (27,169) and RAV4 (26,032).
Helped by Tesla’s impressive performance, EVs now account for 21 percent of total new vehicle sales in California. By comparison, they hold a market share of just over 9 percent in Canada.
The Model Y was the overall best-selling vehicle on the planet in Q1 2023, according to data compiled by Jato Dynamics. It’s a first for any EV, just to be clear. With over 267,000 units sold (up 69 percent from 2022), it dethroned another Toyota, the Corolla (256,400 units).
