News

The World’s Best-Selling Car is the Tesla Model Y

by Nik Berg
26 January 2024 1 min read
The World’s Best-Selling Car is the Tesla Model Y

For the first time in history the most popular new car across the planet is electric. Tesla sold more than 1.2 million Model Ys in 2023 to put it ahead of Toyota’s RAV4 which had sales of 1.07 million and Corolla which found 1.01 million buyers.

Topping the charts in Europe and China enabled the Model Y to lead the field in total world sales, despite it sitting in only fifth place in the United States, behind the RAV4, and the heavyweight Dodge, Chevy and Ford pickups that America loves so much.

How much is your car to insure? Find out in four easy steps.
Get a quote

Overall, more than 456,000 Model Ys were sold in China, representing a 45 per cent increase on 2022, more than 255,000 Model Ys found homes in Europe, and almost 386,000 hit the road in the USA. As a result the Model Y counted for two-thirds of all Teslas sold globally.

Much of the success can be attributed to an extremely aggressive pricing strategy which saw Tesla slashing the cost of a Model Y by as much as £8,000 to undercut rivals. “The price cuts over the course of the year, combined with Tesla’s reputation as a reliable and competitive EV manufacturer, helped to fuel already high demand,” explained JATO Dynamics analyst, Felipe Munoz who crunched the numbers. “As a result, Tesla is front of mind for many consumers looking to purchase an EV.”

Tesla had to increase production at its plant in Berlin – which only makes the Model Y – to 375,000 units, while in Shanghai, China almost one million Model Ys and Model 3s were built.

“Today the best-selling vehicle on the planet is an EV,” Tesla reported during its fourth-quarter earnings call. For those who still believe the world is not ready for the switch to electric cars these numbers paint a rather different picture.

You may also like

8 European Muscle Cars for Less Than £20K
8 European Muscle Cars for Less Than £20K
Jaguar Needs a Miracle. Is This It?
Jaguar Needs a Miracle. Is This It?
The Driver’s Seat: Henry Catchpole on the McLaren GTR Trio – F1, P1, and Senna
The Driver’s Seat: Henry Catchpole on the McLaren GTR Trio – F1, P1, and Senna

Your biweekly dose of car news from Hagerty in your inbox

Comments

  • Mark B says:

    The globalist elite will be having an extra glass of champagne with their eggs Benedict this morning upon hearing this news. Another part of the great reset puzzle clicks into place as the wealth of working class pawns like us increasingly transfers east via their pockets. What a glowing report Hagerty, you must be very proud, and I see where your loyalties really lie now and it isn’t with the car enthusiast or classic nerd.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More on this topic
Hagerty Newsletter
Get your weekly dose of car news from Hagerty UK in your inbox
Share

Thanks for signing up!

Your request will be handled as soon as possible