Consumer marketing data from Experian shows Tesla’s early 2022 production is off to a strong start, with new vehicle registrations outpacing German luxury titan BMW, the segment leader last year. It’s a big achievement for Tesla, having its small all-electric lineup outpace the entire German stable of combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles combined.
So far, Experian’s data only reflects January vehicle registrations in the U.S. According to the data, via Automotive News, Tesla registrations rose 49 percent year-over-year in January, up to 37,162 vehicles. BMW also saw registrations rise, but only to a reported total of 30,563 new vehicles. Mercedes-Benz, which once also gave BMW a run for it’s money, isn’t doing as hot these days, with just 22,022 registrations, which is even fewer than Lexus for the month.
Registrations in January do not directly reflect sales in January, since some vehicles are registered before delivery, when the sale is complete, leaving a gap in the two sets of data. Companies won’t release more specific breakdowns until the end of the quarter.
The Tesla Model Y, Model 3, and Model S took the top three spots for EV vehicle registrations in January, as well, with the Y and 3 accounting for 60 percent of new EVs sold that month, according to Experian’s data. The Model X ranked ninth.
The American luxury leader has been skipping around a bit lately, shifting from Mercedes-Benz a few years ago to a recent dominating run by BMW that was almost overturned by Tesla just last year, though BMW ultimately still won out.
But that’s why Tesla’s strong January seems like a big deal—BMW is already slipping for 2022, and the outlook is only getting worse. The ongoing parts shortages, which are plaguing most of the auto market right now, paired with pandemic surges and rising gas prices will make it tough for BMW to keep its crown, if Tesla keeps its pace.
It would appear Tesla, funnily enough, has fewer roadblocks to selling its cars at the moment, despite a rocky past. Or, at least not the same problems. With registrations up almost by half so far this year, it doesn’t seem like industry supply shortages are taking their toll. January has traditionally been a low-output month for Tesla, with the bulk of its registrations typically coming later in an operating year, so this is a particularly promising start for 2022 for the automaker.
Keyword: New Tesla Registrations Rapidly Outpace Luxury-Leading BMW