Europe’s traditional automakers were given a slap in the face with the news that the Tesla Model Y was the region’s top-selling car in the first half
The midsize SUV was more popular than mass-market models such as the Dacia Sandero and Volkswagen T-Roc, which ranked as No. 2 and No. 3 respectively.
Tesla’s success does not come as much of a surprise.
After all, the Model Y offers better performance and a more premium interior at roughly the same price as electric cars from rival brands.
Which of these battery-electric SUVs would you choose if you had the choice?
- A Model Y (base variant) with a range of 455 km, 204 hp, top speed of 217 kph, 0-100 kph acceleration in 6.9 seconds and a price of 44,890 euros.
- A VW ID4 (base variant) with a range of 361 km, 170 hp, 160 kph top speed, 0-100 kph acceleration in 8.5 seconds and a price of 42,635 euros with an infotainment package comparable to that of the Model Y.
If you picked the Model Y, you are part of a trend because European sales of the SUV tripled to 125,144 in the first half compared with the same period the year before, according to analysts Dataforce. Many buyers chose a higher and more expensive equipment line.
Of course, Tesla’s several rounds of price cuts that started in January have boosted Model Y sales. Musk does not care about residual values scaring away their existing customers.
Tesla is building more cars than it sells and the vehicles and parking spaces for finished vehicles are becoming scarce at its European gigafactory near Berlin. But Tesla’s current sales success means that Musk has once again picked the right strategy.
In the race to electrify the industry, European automakers have lost the first round. For the second round, they need to make battery-electric cars that have the same desirability and leading technology as their combustion-engine models.