Gary Zhou 
Tesla has reported that the Tesla Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in Europe overall during the first quarter of the year, but to be fair, it wasn’t all that unexpected.
With the entrance of the Tesla Model Y into the European market, many analysts and fans alike anticipated that the brand’s popular mid-size SUV would perform well. Still, few expected it to become the world-beater that it is today. After an incredibly successful production ramp globally in Q1, Tesla reports that the Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in Europe overall.
Tesla announced its incredible achievement on its European Twitter account this morning.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk also mentioned this incredible sales success at the earnings call earlier this week, along with the news that the Model Y was the best-selling non-pickup in the United States.
This sales success, while incredible, wasn’t entirely unexpected. Model Y has consistently performed well in key European markets, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Further, with the growing production capacity of Europe’s sole Tesla factory, Giga Berlin, the Old World has slowly gained production independence and hence, has been able to serve a growing number of customers.
Tesla did not specify how many Model Ys it sold on the continent in the first quarter of the year, but many expect the European market to be one of Tesla’s strongest, just behind the United States and China. During Q1, Tesla sold a combined 412,180 Model Ys and Model 3s, according to its sales report.
Looking to the future, there is good reason to be optimistic about Tesla’s sales in Europe and other markets, particularly regarding the Model Y. The automaker has recently introduced a new lower-price model of the vehicle, substantially lowering the starting price of its most popular vehicle. Moreover, Elon Musk announced at the earnings call earlier this week that the company would remain dedicated to reducing prices, helping a growing number of people buy their first electric vehicle.
Besides pricing, the Tesla Model Y is also poised to receive a substantial upgrade, codenamed “Project Juniper.” While very little is known about the upcoming variant, many anticipate Tesla to dramatically lower its production costs and production times while also potentially introducing a modest spec boost and a design face-lift.
