Tesla shares tumble 6% as 2024 sales fall short of expectations

Tesla reported its first annual decline in sales in 2024, delivering 1,789,226 vehicles worldwide, a slight decrease from 1,808,581 in 2023. This drop occurred as competition from other electric vehicle manufacturers intensified.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, Tesla delivered 495,570 vehicles, marking its best performance in that quarter, up from 484,507 in the same period last year. However, this figure fell short of Wall Street’s expectations of over 500,000 and was insufficient to offset earlier sales declines.

The decrease in annual sales surprised analysts, as Tesla had warned at the beginning of the year to temper expectations for 2024. The company’s deliveries began to lag, reporting a notable slowdown with consecutive declines in the first two quarters. Tesla’s sales rebounded slightly in the third quarter, but still missed analyst targets. Furthermore, overall electric vehicle sales globally rose 25% in the first 11 months of the year, while Tesla struggled in key markets including the U.S., Europe, and China.

BYD, a major competitor, reported selling 1.76 million electric vehicles in 2024, a significant increase from 1.6 million in 2023. Unlike Tesla, BYD also markets plug-in hybrids, further increasing its appeal in China where hybrid vehicles gained popularity. The company sold 2.49 million hybrids last year, a substantial rise from 1.44 million in 2023.

What’s next for Tesla after a $1 trillion market rally?

Tesla’s stock fell by over 6% following the announcement of the annual decline. Despite this, the company’s shares increased more than 60% throughout 2024, with a majority of gains realized after the election of President-elect Donald J. Trump, with whom CEO Elon Musk has strong ties. Investors are mainly focused on Tesla’s ventures into autonomous driving technologies rather than immediate sales figures.

Musk has indicated that Tesla aims to produce a lower-cost electric vehicle priced around $25,000 by 2025, which could broaden the market. The company has not yet revealed details or prototypes of this vehicle, leaving investors waiting for more concrete information.

On a related note, Tesla reported a dramatic rise in renewable energy battery sales, which soared 60% from the previous quarter and increased over four times compared to a year prior. This represents an important area of growth for the company as it diversifies its offerings beyond vehicle sales.

In North America, Tesla has maintained its status as a leading electric vehicle manufacturer, despite recent developments indicating that inventory has begun to pile up. Concurrently, the company’s sales in Europe have declined sharply, with 283,000 vehicle registrations from January to November 2024, reflecting about a 14% decrease from the same timeframe in 2023.

Looking ahead, analysts expect sales growth for Tesla and other electric models to accelerate in the coming months as U.S. buyers seek to capitalize on existing incentives before potential federal policy changes take effect.

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