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Tesla posts sales of almost 1 million cars in 2021

January 3, 2022

The electric carmaker sold 936,000 vehicles last year, up 87% from its 2020 sales. The company's autopilot system is currently being probed over safety concerns.

https://p.dw.com/p/454Q0
A Tesla car dealer in Illinois. (Image credit: Mark Hertzberg/ZUMA Wire)
Globally, the auto industry has been facing supply and logistics issues.Image: Mark Hertzberg/ZUMA Wire/picture alliance

Electric carmaker Tesla said on Sunday it sold 936,000 vehicles globally in the last year, up 87% from its 2020 figures.

The company said it sold 308,600 in the final quarter of 2021, exceeding expectations of analysts. Tesla sold 911,208 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles as well as 24,964 vehicles of its luxury S and X models. 

Tesla recently moved its headquarters from Palo Alto, California, to Austin, Texas. 

The carmaker was able to post the high sales despite global supply challenges and logistics issues faced by the auto industry. Founder and CEO Elon Musk had previously said he was able to get around the semiconductor shortage by using new chip designs and rewriting software. 

Tesla's sales received another boost in October last year when rental company Hertz ordered 100,000 cars, which will be completed in 2022. 

After a government safety investigation, the company has agreed to update its software to prevent drivers from playing games on the car's system while the vehicle is in motion. 

The US regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also probing Tesla's autopilot system over safety concerns. 

Tesla hopes to open German factory soon

tg/rc  (AFP, AP)