Tesla has been playing catch up with global Model X and Model S sales as the company managed to deliver just 44,100 units in the first half of fiscal 2018, leaving the company to deliver 55,900 units to reach its target of 100k units for 2018 sales.
But Tesla is yet to pick up speed in its second most important region, Europe, where the company has now delivered 2,423 in July and August this year, which is slightly better than the 2,397 units the company delivered last year during the same period.
The overall numbers through August still look a bit decent as Tesla delivered 16,022 Model S and X this year compared to 14,627 units last year. Norway remains the top market with sales of 4,305 units, followed by the Netherlands with 3,646 units and the UK with 2,239 units. These three markets have accounted for nearly 59% of Tesla’s sales in Europe.
Tesla’s sales slowed down in its top European market, Norway, as the company sold just 259 units in July and August this year, compared to last year’s 354 units. Tesla’s well-documented service capacity issues could be the reason for the slowdown, and it still remains to be seen if Tesla will try and compensate for sales this month and finish the third quarter in Norway on a high.
Sales in the Netherlands has soared this year, making the Dutch nation the number one European market for Tesla for three months in a row. Tesla has sold 838 Model X and Model S in the last two months, which is more than double the 334 units the company sold last year.
The additional sales from the Netherlands will be of great help to Tesla as the company faces a trade-war-induced hostile sales environment in China. According to our estimates, Tesla sold nearly 16,500 units in China last year.
If sales take a hit due to increased prices, Tesla will have to find other markets to compensate for it; and it has to come from the United States and Europe. With Tesla taking the foot off the pedal in Norway due to service capacity issues, the company will need strong performance in the United States and the Netherlands to make up for any slowdown in China.
Data from InsideEvs shows that Tesla has sold 14,645 Model S and 13,600 Model X in the United States through August, which is nearly the same the company sold last year, 14,700 Model S and 12,170 Model X.
Tesla needs an extremely strong finish in September if the company wants 2018 sales to get close to matching its 2017 sales of nearly 100,000 units; otherwise, it will leave itself a mountain to climb during the fourth quarter.
