News
Tesla Cybertruck is US’ 3rd best-selling EV in Q3, behind Model 3 and Model Y
Cox Automotive data has revealed that the Tesla Cybertruck was the United States’ third best-selling electric vehicle in the third quarter of 2024. The all-electric pickup truck was just behind its two stablemates, the Model Y crossover and Model 3 sedan, which were the U.S.’ best and second-best-selling EVs in Q3 2024, respectively.
As could be seen in Kelley Blue Book’s Electric Vehicle Sales Report Q3 2024, Tesla remains the undisputed king of EVs in the United States, with 166,923 vehicles sold in the third quarter. Year-to-date, Tesla has sold 471,374 vehicles in the United States, accounting for 49.8% of the country’s electric vehicle sector.
Arguably the most surprising EV in Kelly Blue Book’s report was the Cybertruck, which sold 16,692 units in Q3 2024 and 28,250 year-to-date. These results make the Cybertruck the third best-selling EV in the United States in Q3 2024. It also makes the Cybertruck quite dominant in the battery electric pickup truck segment.
NEWS: Tesla's Cybertruck was the third best-selling EV in the U.S. in Q3 2024, overtaking the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The Cybertruck also sold more than 2.3x more units than the Ford F-150 Lightning, according to Cox Automotive data.
The Model Y and Model 3 were #1 and #2. pic.twitter.com/wewqp0iKjY— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 14, 2024
For context, the Ford F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and Chevrolet Silverado EV sold 7,162, 3,817, and 1,995 units in the third quarter, respectively. This means that the Cybertruck, with its sales of 16,692 units in Q3, outsold its three biggest rivals combined during the quarter. That’s not bad at all for a vehicle that is constantly criticized and mocked in the news and social media.
The U.S.’ EV segment is completely dominated by the Model Y crossover, which sold 86,801 units in Q3 2024. Year-to-date, the Model Y’s U.S. sales were tracked at 284,831 units, which means that the all-electric crossover accounts for 30.1% of the United States’ electric vehicle sector on its own. This is especially impressive considering that some buyers may be waiting for a potential update to the Model Y, similar to the Model 3’s “Highland” update.
Following the Model Y was the Tesla Model 3 sedan, which sold 58,423 units in the third quarter. Year-to-date, a total of 131,975 Model 3 sedans were sold in the United States. While this number is notably lower than the Model Y’s sales, it does highlight the the momentum of the reengineered Model 3, which has received rave reviews from professionals and consumers alike. It should also be noted that the Model 3 is only produced in the Fremont Factory and Giga Shanghai, unlike the Model Y, which is produced in the Fremont Factory, Giga Shanghai, Gigafactory Texas, and Gigafactory Berlin.
Kelley Blue Book’s Electric Vehicle Sales Report Q3 2024 can be viewed below.
Kelley Blue Book EV Sales Report Q3 2024 Revised 10-14-24 by Simon Alvarez on Scribd
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News
Tesla China focuses on local deliveries as Q1 enters final month
Tesla’s estimated delivery times for all variants of the Model 3 and Model Y in China were listed at just one to three weeks.
Tesla’s delivery wait times in China have dropped to some of their shortest levels in years, an apparent hint that Giga Shanghai has largely cleared its order backlog and currently has strong production capacity.
As of February 26, estimated delivery times for all variants of the Model 3 and Model Y in China were listed at just one to three weeks, as per observations of Tesla China’s official webpages by CNEV Post.
That marks a notable shift from the several-week or even two-month waits seen late last year.
The one-to-three-week delivery window suggests that Giga Shanghai is likely focusing on the local market, at least for now as the company enters the final month of the first quarter. Tesla China typically spends the first half of the quarter catering to markets that import vehicles from Giga Shanghai.
Historically, when Tesla’s wait times in China compress to their shortest levels, the company often follows with fresh market actions.
In past cycles, shortened delivery timelines were followed by promotional activity. After delivery windows narrowed to one to three weeks in early 2024, for example, Tesla later introduced an RMB 10,000 instant discount on Model Y final payments that year.
To spur local demand, Tesla recently extended its seven-year ultra-low-interest and five-year interest-free financing offers through March 31. This marks the second extension of the policy this year.
So far, posts from the Tesla community suggest that interest in the company’s vehicles among consumers in China is still strong. Videos of busy delivery centers across China have been shared on social media.
China’s competitive EV landscape has evolved as of late. With regulators discouraging aggressive price wars, automakers are increasingly leaning on financing incentives instead of direct price cuts. Major players including BYD, NIO, XPeng, and Li Auto have introduced similar loan extensions and promotional financing packages.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s The Boring Company closes Tunnel Vision Challenge
The Tunnel Vision Challenge invited individuals, companies, and governments to propose a tunnel project up to one mile long.
Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has officially closed submissions for its Tunnel Vision Challenge, confirming that a total of 487 entries were received before the deadline.
In a post on X, the company wrote, “Tunnel Vision Challenge is closed! 487 entries received – TBC team is excited to go through them all!” The company added that “We will select the top ~15 in the next week, and reach out with follow-up questions,” and that an “overall winner will be announced on March 23.”
The Tunnel Vision Challenge invited individuals, companies, and governments to propose a tunnel project up to one mile long with a 12-foot inner diameter. The winning entry will have its tunnel constructed free of charge.
Submissions could range from Loop passenger tunnels to freight, pedestrian, utility, or water tunnels. The only requirement was that the project clearly demonstrate how tunneling would meaningfully improve transportation or infrastructure between two points.
Just days before the deadline, the company provided an interim update noting that 407 entries had already been received. “Update on the Tunnel Vision Challenge – 1 mile of free tunnel! With 3 days left to submit, 407 entries have been received. Great to see enthusiasm for tunnels!” The Boring Company wrote at the time on X. By the close of submissions, the total had grown closer to 500 entries, hinting at strong interest in underground transportation solutions.
Entries are being evaluated on usefulness, stakeholder engagement, and technical, economic, and regulatory feasibility. Applicants were required to quantify projected benefits, such as time saved per rider or cost savings per shipment, and provide maps showing proposed alignments and other details. Submissions that included geotechnical or subsurface data are expected to receive additional consideration.
The Boring Company will fund the tunnel’s construction itself, though related infrastructure costs may be discussed with the winning team. The company also retains discretion to modify or cancel the challenge.
Cybertruck
Tesla confirms date when new Cybertruck trim will go up in price
Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this.
Tesla has confirmed the date when its newest Cybertruck trim level will increase in price, after CEO Elon Musk noted that the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the all-electric pickup would only be priced at its near-bargain level for ten days.
Last week, Tesla launched the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck. Priced at $59,990, the Cybertruck featured many excellent features and has seemingly brought some demand to the pickup, which has been underwhelming in terms of sales figures over the past couple of years.
Tesla launches new Cybertruck trim with more features than ever for a low price
When Tesla launched it, many fans and current owners mulled the possibility of ordering it. However, Musk came out and said just hours after launching the pickup that Tesla would only keep it at the $59,990 price level for ten days.
What it would be priced at subsequently was totally dependent on how much demand Tesla felt for the new trim level, which is labeled as a “Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive” configuration.
Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this:
NEWS: Tesla has officially announced that the price of the new Cybertruck Dual-Motor AWD will be increasing after February 28th. pic.twitter.com/vZpA521ZwC
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 24, 2026
Many fans and owners have criticized Tesla’s decision to unveil a trim this way, and then price it at something, only to change that price a few days later based on how well it sells.
Awful way to treat customers – particularly when they already sent out a marketing email announcing the $59,990 truck…with zero mention of it being a limited-time offer.
— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) February 24, 2026
It seems the most ideal increase in price would be somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000, but it truly depends on how many orders Tesla sees for this new trim level. The next step up in configuration is the Premium All-Wheel-Drive, which is priced at $79,990.
The difference between the Dual Motor AWD Cybertruck and the Premium AWD configuration comes down to towing, interior quality, and general features. The base package is only capable of towing up to 7,500 pounds, while the Premium can handle 11,000 pounds. Additionally, the seats in the Premium build are Vegan Leather, while the base trim gets the textile seats.
It also has only 7 speakers compared to the 15 that the Premium trim has. Additionally, the base model does not have an adjustable ride height, although it does have a coil spring with an adaptive damping suspension package.