Europe: Tesla Model 3 Breaks Into Top 20 Best-Selling Cars In 2021

The Tesla Model 3 was able to break into the top 20 best-selling cars in Europe (28 European markets, monitored by JATO Dynamics), where plug-in electric cars expanded their share to 19% of the market.

According to the data, 141,429 Tesla Model 3 (up 64% year-over-year) were registered (including a record 27,358 in December – the top result for the month). A year earlier, it was 85,713 (down 9%).

It’s enough for 17th place among the best-selling cars in Europe. Tesla was also the monthly leader twice (December and September).

According to EV-volumes data (via EV Sales Blog), in 2019 Tesla sold about 95,247 units (#1 BEV), while in 2020 about 87,642 (behind the Renault ZOE with 99,613). Data for 2021 are not yet available.

No other electric car model was able to even enter the top 50, which would require more than 72,234 units.

Top BEVs:

• Tesla Model 3: 141,429 (up 64%)
• Renault ZOE: 71,614 (down 28%)
• Volkswagen ID.3: 69,206 (up 23%)
• Volkswagen ID.4: 54,715 (new)

Tesla, as brand, also noted a huge increase in 2021 – 167,969 registrations (up 70.9%), including 26,175 Tesla Model Y, 134 Tesla Model S and 230 Tesla Model X.

Tesla was the #21 most popular brand in Europe, not far behind MINI, ahead of Mazda, Jeep, Land Rover, Porsche and Mitsubishi. Not bad, considering that in 2018 Tesla sold 29,300 cars in Europe

The Tesla Model 3 made the top 10 in 5 countries (alphabetically): 

• Austria (10th)
• Germany (10th)
• Norway (1st)
• Switzerland (1st)
• UK (2nd position)

The successes does not stop here. The Tesla Model 3 was the #1 in its category – Midsize Car:

• Tesla Model 3: 141,429
• BMW Series 3: 116,250
• Volkswagen Passat: 83,224

It’s worth noting that the Volkswagen ID.4 was #3 in the Midsize SUV category with 54,715 units.

28 countries monitored by JATO Dynamics include: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom