Tesla = 20th Best-Selling Auto Brand of 2019 in USA

Tesla was the 20th best-selling auto brand of 2019 in the USA, despite selling only three models, the Model 3, Model S, and Model X. JATO Dynamics recently compiled lists of the top 25 automotive brands and models in the USA. Some notes from JATO include that SUVs are the favorite among Americans, with 49.5% of all new vehicle sales being some type of SUV. This totaled 8.5 million unit sales. That’s a good sign for Tesla as well considering that the Model Y just hit the market.

The best selling SUV in 2019 was the Toyota RAV4, and 2019 was its third consecutive year at #1. It was also the fourth best-selling vehicle in the US market. As for Tesla, the Model 3 was the best-selling premium vehicle for the second year in a row. Tesla sold over 150,000 vehicles in 2019, based on JATO’s estimates. The Model 3 was also the 26th best-selling vehicle in the United States and is predicted to rise even higher in 2020.

Interestingly, its estimate of 188,000+ Tesla sales in the USA was just slightly more than CleanTechnica‘s much earlier estimate of 186,000+ Tesla sales in the USA last year.

Some may say scoring 20 out of 25 in the top brands ranking is pretty low, but if you look at Tesla’s history, you can see that it is actually an achievement to even be on the list. Tesla is still young and is just starting to hit its maturing growth spurts. The fact that Tesla is on the list shows that Americans are beginning to consider electric vehicles serious vehicle options instead of just concepts, ideas, or jokes. In fact, getting a premium-class midsize sedan so high on the list shows enormous demand for good electric vehicles. The Tesla Model Y will likely surpass it as soon as production capacity is high enough, given that Americans favor SUVs more than sedans so considerably.

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The Tesla Model Y may make some serious waves in the SUV market. With SUVs being the top-selling type of vehicle in America, the question is how high in the ranking the new electric SUV can go.

Trucks were also high on the list of best sellers, with over 2.6 million sales. Ford’s F-Series continues to be America’s best-selling model, with almost 900,000 sales in 2019. The Ram Pickup and Chevrolet Silverado followed behind the flagship Ford, which is still America’s top brand with just under 2.3 million vehicle sales.

Considering the above, that the top three vehicle models in the USA are pickup trucks, it makes sense that Tesla has released the Cybertruck. In a couple of years, after customers start taking delivery and production ramps up, we will see how much of this American vehicle pie the Cybertruck will take home. If it does indeed make the big three look more like Barbie Jeeps and princess wagons than manly man-trucks, the hot new Tesla model may be quite disruptive.

Tesla is still growing as a brand as well as an automaker. It’s exciting to see a top EV brand making waves in the market. How will things turn out in 2020? How about 2021?