Tesla is not considered to be a household name, but that idea may be changing. The brand has silently become a bestseller in the state of California, where their electric powertrains are better accepted than in other areas of the country.
Tesla stealthily becomes a bestseller in California
Tesla trails behind only Mercedes-Benz and BMW for sales in the first half of 2013. The Tesla Model S is now the third bestseller, with the Mercedes E-Class coming in first and the BMW 5-Series second. The Model S certainly seems to be the little electric car that could–unloading a staggering 4,714 units during the first half of 2013 alone.
It is all in the numbers: Top sellers in California for the first half of 2013
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class—6,582 units
- BMW 5-Series—6,077
- Tesla Model S—4,714
But wait…aren’t Californians obsessed with the Toyota Prius? The Prius does remain California’s #1 top seller. Yet while there is still much love for the Prius, there are a few competitors slowly stealing the thunder. Those competitors are both from Honda, the Civic and the Accord. Vehicles registered in California show this trend: 33,987 Toyota Prius cars, 31,798 Civics and 31,576 Accords. The Honda models still require fuel, though they sip it rather than chug. Drivers in highly congested California are rewarded when they purchase more environmentally friendly vehicles, making cars with better EPA stats more desirable.
The Tesla Model S starts at around $65,000, making it among the more affordable luxury electric cars. Will Tesla continue to experience a change in attitudes toward its electric offerings in other states? It seems that many major brands are gearing up and preparing for that change, as they are beginning to introduce similar offerings at auto shows around the world.
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