Electric car giant Tesla has announced a major sales milestone in the UK, with 300,000 models flying off forecourts.
New data from Tesla reported its 300,000th UK sale last month as the popularity of electric vehicles grows dramatically.
Between January and the end of April, Tesla has sold 12,570 vehicles in the UK, capturing 1.65 per cent of the electric car market, with the Model 3 and Model Y often appearing in the top 10 best-selling list.
It follows 45,513 sales last year, in which it captured 2.25 per cent of the market, and more than 50,000 new registrations in 2024.
The 300,000th customer, Neil, picked up his landmark Model 3 from the Manchester Trafford Delivery Hub on Saturday, May 30.
Commenting on the purchase, Neil said: “For me, I considered moving to an electric vehicle for some time and viewed options which would offer the best level of features, comfort and reliability.
“I considered a few different brands, but after test driving the Tesla, that was the one that I felt most matched what I was looking for, for me and my family. Alongside the features and driving experience, it offers me the sustainability I wanted to achieve.”
Elon Musk’s car brand has reached the milestone achievement just 12 years after launching in the UK when it delivered its first electric vehicle.
Tesla has officially sold 300,000 vehicles across the UK
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GETTY/TESLA
Tesla remains the best-selling electric car brand across the nation, with the Model Y and Model 3 taking first and second place, respectively, in sales last year.
Industry sources tell GB News that electric vehicles are set to have a large spike in new registrations in data from May, which is set to be released this week.
Drivers are increasingly turning to electric cars in response to the rising price of motoring, especially with fuel prices soaring after the start of the Iran war.
Electric vehicle-friendly tariffs can help drivers save hundreds of pounds a year by charging at home overnight when energy is at its cheapest.
Tesla owners can also make use of the Supercharger network, which is the fifth-largest rapid or ultra-rapid charging network in the UK, with 2,194 chargers, and 80,000 around the world.
The 300,000th Tesla was sold at the brand’s new Manchester Trafford Delivery Hub
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X/TESLA_UK
Commenting on the sales milestone, Ginny Buckley, chief executive of Electrifying.com, said: “Tesla deserves enormous credit for proving that electric cars could be desirable, practical and mainstream.
“The company was the disruptor that forced the entire automotive industry to take EVs seriously.”
She noted that Chinese brands, including BYD, Jaecoo, Omoda and Chery, were bringing “fierce competition” to the UK electric car market.
The motoring expert also highlighted that the “next 300,000 sales” would be much harder to achieve given the increased competition and growing electric car market.
Tesla has dozens of showrooms and pop-ups across the UK
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X/TESLA_UK
The latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that more than 39,000 electric cars were registered in April, a dramatic year-on-year change of 59.1 per cent.
In comparison, the market share of petrol (42.6 per cent) and diesel (4.2 per cent) continues to fall as British motorists opt for zero emission vehicles.
Tanya Sinclair, chief executive of Electric Vehicles UK, said: “Tesla optimises supply: no annual service bill, low running costs and a faultless charging network.
“Now it’s over to the rest of the market to provide cars that are cheaper to run and simpler to own, and fully reliable charging.”