FI showroom red and grey logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Tesla Leads U.S. Luxury Market

In January, Tesla Inc. lead U.S. luxury market sales, lapping segment leader BMW in new vehicle registration, finds Experian data.

March 10, 2022
Tesla Leads U.S. Luxury Market

Tesla Model Y

Credit:

Tesla

2 min to read


 

In January, Tesla Inc. lead U.S. luxury market sales, lapping segment leader BMW in new vehicle registration, finds Experian data.

Tesla’s registrations rose 49% to 37,162 vehicles, compared to January 2021, Experian reported. In contrast, BMW registrations rose 8.2% to 30,563.

Ad Loading...

Other competitors in the luxury market saw decreases. Lexus registrations fell 5.5% to 24,843 in January, while Mercedes-Benz registrations plummeted 20% to 22,022, Experian noted.

The EV company, owned by Elon Musk, narrowly lost to BMW for vehicle registrations in 2021. BMW had 347,453 registrations last year, compared to 342,412 for Tesla. Even so, Experian data showed that Tesla had greater momentum, with a 71% sales gain compared to a 24% gain for BMW in 2021.

Registration data includes all models from the luxury automakers, including gasoline-powered vehicles, hybrids and full-electrics.

Tesla has a new Texas plant coming on line that will help it satisfy demand for its electric vehicles and is pushing output to up to 600,000 vehicles at its Fremont, California, plant in 2022.

Tesla's official sales numbers in 2021 showed an 87% increase globally to 936,172 vehicles. The company forecasts at least a 50% increase this year to push deliveries to 1.4 million.

Ad Loading...

Tesla also has a new factory coming on line in Berlin in 2022 to support vehicle production.

Experian reported that the Tesla Model Y was the top EV in the U.S. at 18,549 registrations, followed by the Tesla Model 3 with 13,604 and the Tesla Model S with 3,903.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E with 2,781 registrations took 4th place, the Nissan Leaf at 1,479 took 5th, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 at 1,253 registrations held the 6th spot.

Volkswagen's ID4 was No. 7 with 1,153 registrations, followed by the Kia Niro electric at 1,146, the Tesla Model X with 1,106 and the Porsche Taycan in 10th with with 972 registrations.

According to Experian, total U.S. EV registrations rose by 62% in January to 50,384 compared to 31,174 a year earlier. The U.S. light-vehicle market grabbed 4.3% of the total U.S. market in January, compared with 2.3% in 2021.

 

Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today

More Awards

2027 Kia Telluride hybrid
Awardsby Lauren LawrenceApril 27, 2026

Hyundai, Kia Lead Electrified Awards

With more hybrids and EVs on the market, U.S. News & World Report expanded its 2026 Best Hybrid and Electric Cars awards and introduced the first 'best hybrid minivan' class.

Read More →
Photo of this year's F&I Hall of Fame inductees and the awards presenters
Awardsby StaffApril 21, 2026

F&I Hall of Fame 2026 Class Inducted at Agent Summit

The selection committee is set to accept nominations for future F&I Hall of Fame members following the induction of the Class of 2026 at last week’s Agent Summit.

Read More →
Photo of Honda's North American headquarters building
Awardsby Hannah MitchellApril 9, 2026

Honda Sweeps Awards for Consumer Zeal

The automaker takes all the mass-market Kelley Blue Book shopper awards except for pickup trucks, while Lexus dominates luxury lines.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of interior of BMW iX3 vehicle with landscape ahead framed by windshield
AwardsApril 6, 2026

Auto Journalists Crown 2026 Winners

The worldwide body’s judges test-drove candidates over months as they narrowed down a field of eligible models. BMW garnered three separate honors.

Read More →
man holding a phone in one hand with a five-star review graphic above his other hand. Driven by Reviews. F&I and Showroom logo
Awardsby Lauren LawrenceApril 1, 2026

Dealers Awarded for Consumer Reviews

Roughly 1,000 dealerships across the U.S. and Canada were named 2026 Dealer of the Year award winners by Cars.com, which based its list on customer reviews and dealer responsiveness.

Read More →
Group of five people on stage holding large checks at a Reynolds and Reynolds event, recognizing winners of an automotive innovation contest.
Awardsby StaffMarch 30, 2026

Automotive Amplifiers Contest Upcoming

The annual Reynolds and Reynolds competition puts automotive retail best practices front and center by showcasing innovations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
back seat of an SUV, cream colored leather, text Safety Reigns Supreme, F&I and Showroom logo
Awardsby Lauren LawrenceMarch 25, 2026

Crash Avoidance is Top Priority

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded 63 vehicles for safety, and SUVs lead the picks with more than half of the base and Pick+ awards.

Read More →
honda civic
Awardsby Lauren LawrenceFebruary 4, 2026

Hybrids Abound in CR 2026 Top 10 Picks

Based on Consumer Reports’ new Safety Verdict score, Mazda makes the safest new cars on the road at a brand level, the highest percentage of its tested fleet earning the top score.

Read More →
Top 10 stamp over a car outline
Awardsby Lauren LawrenceFebruary 2, 2026

Toyota and Lexus Top KBB Brand Watch

Cox Automotive subsidiary has relaunched its Brand Watch study as a twice-annual recap instead of yearly to 'offer a clearer view of brand and model consideration.'

Read More →
Ad Loading...
five gold stars on a speech bubble with Edmunds logo on the bottom
Awardsby Lauren LawrenceJanuary 28, 2026

Dealers Receive Five-Star Awards

Edmunds released its 2026 Five Star honors to dealerships for outstanding customer service, including 11 'Five-Star Premier' designations.

Read More →