Electric Blitzkreig! Tesla sells more EVs than all German rivals combined
- Tesla has had no new model in markets since Model Y in 2020. But this has hardly slowed its march on the global EV stage.
The Germans are under attack once again. And this time, the battlefield is the global electric vehicle (EV) market where Tesla has waged an open conflict to not just invade territories but to establish a firm rule.
Tesla is the global leader when it comes to EVs and while traditional car makers continue draw battle plans to mount a challenge, not much has come of these. Not yet anyway. The US-based EV giant has, instead, been extending its lead, especially against German automotive brands like Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW and Volkswagen.
Consider this - Tesla sold 889,015 cars in the first six months of this year. This is more than cars sold by Volkswagen AG, BMW AG, Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Porsche AG combined. This is the sheer intensity of the onslaught, one that has elevated Tesla to the status of ‘champion’ and traditional car makers to that of ‘challengers’.
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Many say it is not a fair playing field anyway. While German car manufacturers are having to restructure operations and many of their respective facilities to accommodate EVs, plus facing union-related challenges, Tesla is motoring ahead with more and more manufacturing sites across the world. Tesla has already confirmed its entry into India, the world's third largest auto market.
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Inflationary pressures in many European markets are further complicating matters for many German car manufacturers because in many ways, Tesla can adopt a far more flexible manufacturing and revenue model than the brands that have existed for decades.
Then there is the China angle. In the world's largest EV market, Tesla has managed to take the crown even as the German companies are left to battle each other as well as Americans and local Chinese rivals. A firm footing here tends to keep automotive brands in good stead but with higher rewards come higher risks.
What may still be a key factor is the strategy to drive out more and more new models into global markets. Tesla, after all, has not had a new launch since the debut of Model Y in 2020. In these three years, Mercedes, BMW and even Volkswagen have strengthened their respective offerings. Will this work? Time will tell.