Here is a list of recent unit sales for vehicles I believe will be direct competitors to Tesla Model ☰:
2015 US SALES
47,080_-_ Acura TLX
00,000_-_ Alfa Romeo Giulia
29,013_-_ AUDI A4
94,427_-_ BMW 3-Series
46,082_-_ BMW 4-Series
26,873_-_ Cadillac ATS
43,874_-_ Infiniti Q50
00,000_-_ Jaguar XE
46,430_-_ Lexus IS
86,080_-_ Mercedes-Benz C-Class
So, a market of 419,859 cars during 2015. Where BMW 3-Series and 4-Series combined for 140,509 units sold in 2015, they are a bit behind that pace this year. The 4-Series sold 46,082 cars in the last seven months of 2015, but sold only 21,462 units during the first seven months of 2016. With only 39,775 units sold through July 2016, the 3-Series is on a pace to have a US total well below 90,000 units for the first time in the past 14 years.
Usually, December is among their best months for sales, allowing for a strong finish, but in 2015 they were unusually low at under 5,300 units. For comparison they sold 19,464 units in December 2014 and in a low year, they sold 8,489 units in December 2011.
Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class has sold 43,609 units so far this year, 12.3% off the 49,721 pace through the first seven months of 2015, though enough to claim the lead in class so far this year.
If Tesla Motors is able to build 300,000 of the Model ☰ during 2018... And 60% of those reach US Customers... That would be 180,000 units. Nearly 40,000 units more than BMW 3-Series and 4-Series have managed combined in any given year. And if it ends up being
'only' 40% of that total... That is still 120,000 units in the hands of US Customers. Far more than any other vehicle in class. I'm contemplating removing the
'If' and starting with
'When' instead...