In just over a year, Tesla Motors has become the single most talked-about brand in the world, and all the talk about Tesla has no doubt helped sales of the Model S. Even though the California company doesn’t release sales numbers, global sales reports indicate Tesla has sold at least 25,000 electric sedans to date.

Actual global sales through December of 2013 for the Tesla Model S are between 25,343 and 25,503, and calculating in estimated sales of between 2,200 and 2,500 in 2012, Tesla has sold just shy of 30,000 Model S sedans in total so far. In 2013, Tesla Model S sales came within spitting distance of both the Chevy Volt (23,094)  and Nissan Leaf (22,610), which have been on sale literally twice as long. The Volt and Leaf have both sold over 50,000 units in North America through 2013 though, so they still hold a sizable lead over the upstart sedan. Apparently the$70,000 starting price of the Tesla Model S has not softened demand for the innovative electric sedan.

North America remains Tesla’s strongest market, with more than 19,000 units shipped between the U.S. and Canada. Europe meanwhile, where Model S sales kicked off this year, saw sales estimated at over 3,600 units, not bad but hardly groundbreaking. Norway was surely among the best markets for the Model S, though Switzerland saw a healthy number of buyers as well, though Germans still seem skeptical of the American-built EV.

With sales about to kick off in China, with or without the right name attached, Tesla sales stand to go even higher should they maintain their momentum. With the Tesla Model X set to begin production later in 2014, and some heavy equipment purchases designed to increase production, Tesla looks poised to take output to the next level. 2013 is in the books, and 2014 is looking better than ever for the start-up automaker.

gas2.org