Tesla Model Y is the world’s best-selling car

For the first time, the Tesla Model Y, a pure electric car, was the most popular in the world in the first quarter of 2023. It sold 267,200 units from January to March, according to projections from JATO Dynamics. They are based on sales figures from 53 countries.

This puts the e-SUV well ahead of the previous topper, the Toyota Corolla, which sold approximately 256,400 copies. “This has been one of the biggest news in the industry for years,” writes analyst Felipe Munoz of the industry portal “Motor 1”.

Other Toyota brand vehicles follow, namely the Hilux pickup with 214,700 cars sold, the RAV4 (SUV, 214,700 vehicles) and the Camry sedan (166,200 units). There are also variants with hybrid drive, but the combustion engine is always the basis.

Tesla is building more cars – and lowering prices

Last year, the Model Y was still in third place worldwide, compared to the same period last year, the number of sales increased by 69 percent. The analyst attributes this to several reasons: Tesla is greatly expanding the production of its vehicles, especially the Model Y. The SUV is now produced in four plants, two of which are in the US, one in China and one in Germany.

Tesla relies on a few models and variants for this, leading to high efficiency and maximum cost reduction. Tests show that this can also lead to quality defects. It was recently announced that Tesla’s “Autopilot” assistance system continues to cause problems.

The American company is thus on its way to becoming a mass manufacturer – which also means that discounts are suddenly offered. In April, the price in Germany fell by 2,000 euros.

The demand for electric cars is increasing

A few months ago, the Model Y was also the best-selling car in Germany. This was also due to the fact that many customers had ordered an electric car before the high subsidy premium expired at the end of 2022.

However, Tesla’s success also shows that global demand for e-cars is constantly increasing. Chinese manufacturers in particular benefit from this, as they now have a wide range of electric vehicles and have already displaced Germany from the second place among export countries: in 2022, 3.2 million cars were exported from China and 2.6 million from Germany.