Tesla global deliveries are the lowest since the second quarter of 2022.
The Wall Street Journal reports Tesla’s Global Vehicle Deliveries Sank 13% in First Quarter
Global vehicle deliveries fell 13% in the first quarter from a year ago, further evidence that a growing consumer backlash against the brand and Chief Executive Elon Musk is hurting the automaker’s business.
The final quarterly tally of 336,681 missed analysts’ expectations of 396,960 deliveries, according to Visible Alpha.
Recent surveys have shown an erosion in the brand’s appeal, especially among Democrats in the U.S. Some Wall Street analysts have downgraded Tesla shares based in part on the growing animosity for the brand.
Global vehicle deliveries were weighed down by significant declines in some of Tesla’s biggest markets, data from governments and research firms show. The company doesn’t break out regional results.
Sales from Tesla China, which exports to foreign markets, fell 49% in February but fared better in March after it started delivering the refreshed Model Y in China, according to the China Passenger Car Association. The company sold 78,828 China-made vehicles in the month, down 11% from the same period last year.
Despite the decline, Tesla climbed back into third place by sales in the Chinese car market, after dropping out of the top five in February.
In Germany, home to Tesla’s European factory, new-vehicle registrations fell 76.3% in February compared with the same period last year, according to the country’s Motor Transport Authority.
In the U.S., sales fell 2% in the first two months of the year, according to research firm Wards Intelligence.
U.S. sales results posted by major automakers on Tuesday were mixed. General Motors and Hyundai Motor had strong gains—up 17% and 11%, respectively—while Ford Motor’s sales fell 1% and Jeep maker Stellantis’s deliveries dropped 12%.
Last year, Tesla reported its first annual decline in deliveries in more than a decade, with global deliveries falling 1%. While a surge of promotional deals grew sales in the fourth quarter, it wasn’t enough to make up for significant declines in the first half of the year.
In California, where Teslas are among the bestselling vehicles, new vehicle registrations of Teslas fell 11.6% in the state in 2024.
Musk has sought to refocus investor attention away from car sales and onto its driver-assistance software, which it calls Full Self-Driving (Supervised), and its Optimus humanoid robot—technologies he has claimed could one day boost the automaker’s market value to as high as $30 trillion. The development of those innovations is still largely funded by Tesla’s car business.
Some Wall Street analysts say Musk’s proximity to Trump will aid the CEO’s businesses, including through federal regulations that simplify Tesla’s path to deploying autonomous vehicles nationwide.
“In our view, Tesla’s softer auto deliveries are emblematic of a company in the transition from an automotive ‘pure play’ to a highly diversified play on AI and robotics,” Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas wrote on March 20.
Tesla has said that it plans to start offering autonomous ride-hailing services in June near its headquarters in Austin, Texas, and that it plans to roll out a similar service in California by the end of the year.
How Much Better Is Waymo than Tesla at Self Driving?
That’s the question I asked Grok, Musk’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) application.
Grok responded …
The comparison between Waymo and Tesla’s self-driving technologies involves several nuanced aspects, including their approaches, capabilities, and operational metrics. Here’s a detailed look at how they differ:
Technology and Approach:
- Waymo uses a combination of sensors including lidar, radar, and cameras, which allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the environment. This multi-sensor approach enables Waymo vehicles to operate driverlessly in specific, pre-mapped areas. Waymo’s technology is known for its reliability in complex urban environments where it has high-definition maps and can leverage remote operators for support if needed.
- Tesla, on the other hand, primarily relies on camera-based vision technology with no lidar, focusing on a vision-only approach for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. This approach aims at scalability and lower hardware costs but has been criticized for inconsistent performance in varied scenarios and weather conditions.
Performance Metrics:
- Waymo has demonstrated a higher level of autonomy in real-world operations, with vehicles going thousands of miles without human intervention in geofenced areas. Their system has been noted for fewer disengagements (when a human driver must take control), with statistics showing Waymo vehicles traveling significantly between interventions compared to Tesla’s FSD.
- Tesla’s FSD is still considered a level 2 autonomy system, requiring constant driver supervision. While there are reports of Tesla FSD handling long drives with fewer interventions, these are under supervised conditions and not fully autonomous like Waymo’s operations. Tesla’s system has faced scrutiny for unexpected disengagements and safety concerns.
Scalability and Market Strategy:
- Waymo currently operates in limited geographic areas but with plans to expand. Their service model is focused on robotaxi services, initially in select cities, which might not scale as quickly as Tesla’s approach but aims for high reliability within those areas.
- Tesla touts the advantage of scaling its technology across its entire fleet of vehicles, which number in the millions, allowing for vast data collection for improving AI. However, this comes with the caveat that Tesla’s system is not yet capable of full driverless operation without supervision, unlike Waymo’s driverless taxis.
Public Perception and User Experience:
- Posts and discussions on platforms like X suggest a contrast in user experience. Some users praise Waymo for its smooth, confident driving in urban settings, while others critique Tesla’s FSD for not matching this level of autonomy or smoothness, though Tesla’s system is noted for its potential scalability and broader application.
In summary, Waymo currently outperforms Tesla in terms of actual driverless capability within its operational areas due to its use of advanced sensor technology and strategic deployment. However, Tesla’s approach might lead to broader market penetration and potentially lower costs if they can solve the reliability and safety issues associated with their vision-only system. The “better” aspect thus depends on the context: for immediate, reliable driverless service in specific areas, Waymo leads; for widespread potential and cost-effectiveness, Tesla holds promise but has significant ground to cover.
Waymo Picked Up 4 Million Rides in 2024, Tesla Had Zero
Ride-sharing companies are embracing Waymo’s autonomous vehicles. Where’s Tesla?
On January 7, 2025, I noted Waymo Picked Up 4 Million Rides in 2024, Tesla Had Zero
Grok: “Waymo uses a combination of sensors including lidar, radar, and cameras, which allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the environment.”
Grok: “Tesla’s FSD is still considered a level 2 autonomy system, requiring constant driver supervision. While there are reports of Tesla FSD handling long drives with fewer interventions, these are under supervised conditions and not fully autonomous like Waymo’s operations. Tesla’s system has faced scrutiny for unexpected disengagements and safety concerns.”
Tesla’s “Full Self Driving” is a comparative joke because it is not self driving at all. A driver must be present. Waymo is level 4 autonomy. Despite decades of promises Tesla is level 2.
Musk maintains that he can train cars by accumulating data so that they can go anywhere. That will not hold up in adverse conditions.
Robocars Did Arrive in 2024
2024 marks the beginning of the end of chauffeur-driven taxi and limo services.
For all the taunting I received about how autonomous driving would never work, robocars did arrive in 2023 with an enormous ramp in mid-2024.
My original estimate was 2022-2024. OK I was two years late if you see it that way. But this taxi ramp-up is way faster than I expected.
The end of chauffeur-driven taxi and limo services at major airports will soon arrive.