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(Bloomberg) — If automakers learned anything from 2019, it\u2019s that the have and have-nots of the U.S. electric-vehicle market are Tesla Inc.\u2019s Model 3 — and everything else.<\/p>\n
The Model 3 sold in serious volume, with website InsideEVs.com estimating almost 160,000 sales for the year. Other automakers investing billions to roll out electric models have serious catching up to do.<\/p>\n
After the Model 3, one has to scroll far down the sales rankings to find Tesla\u2019s Model S and X and offerings from General Motors Co. and Nissan Motor Co. And 2019 was a year to forget for the Chevrolet Bolt and Nissan Leaf, with deliveries dropping 8.9% and 16%, respectively.<\/p>\n
And what of those pricey European models that are supposed to challenge Elon Musk? Porsche is just starting to sell the much-hyped Taycan and handed over the first 130 units in December. Audi sold 746 of its all-electric e-tron crossovers and tallied just 5,369 units for the year. Jaguar was even further behind, delivering 2,594 I-Pace SUVs.<\/p>\n
To give Musk a more-serious run for his money, automakers are probably going to need models with longer range before plugging in and charging. Even then, the controversial chief executive officer may still have a leg up by building an allure around the company.<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps Tesla\u2019s best asset is its brand,\u201d Joe Spak, an analyst at RBC Capital Markets, wrote in a report Friday. \u201cMany consumers are evangelical about their vehicles.\u201d<\/p>\n
(Updates with Porsche, Audi and Jaguar EV sales in the fourth paragraph)<\/p>\n
–With assistance from Gabrielle Coppola.<\/p>\n
To contact the reporter on this story: David Welch in Southfield at dwelch12@bloomberg.net<\/p>\n
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Craig Trudell at ctrudell1@bloomberg.net, Melinda Grenier<\/p>\n
For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com<\/p>\n
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