Tesla Model S deliveries advance in March
Registrations of Tesla Motors Inc.'s Model S sedans in China rose 25 percent in March from the previous month, according to JL Warren Capital, in a sign that the automaker's sales may be improving.
Tesla registered 326 cars in March, up from 260 in February, according to data released Monday by JL Warren. The research firm also said Tesla imported 208 cars to China in March after bringing in just 63 in February and 10 in January. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment on the data.
"We are seeing a cleanup of inventory in mainland China," wrote Junheng Li, head of research for JL Warren, in an email.
Tesla forecasts that its worldwide sales will rise 74 percent to 55,000 cars this year, but has not published a forecast for China. Tesla began deliveries of its electric Model S sedan to China in April 2014 and recently opened a new store and service center in Shanghai. The company has said it remains confident of its long-term prospects in China.
JL Warren says that China has imported 5,042 Model S cars since April 2014. Of those, 70 percent are licensed and 30 percent are not. Unregistered cars could be sitting idle in garages of dealers or scalpers or driving illegally without licenses.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk told analysts on a Feb. 11 conference call that "even if our sales in China were zero this year, zero, I'm still confident we can do the 55,000 cars. They won't be zero."
"We are seeing a cleanup of inventory in mainland China," wrote Junheng Li, head of research for JL Warren, in an email.
Tesla forecasts that its worldwide sales will rise 74 percent to 55,000 cars this year, but has not published a forecast for China. Tesla began deliveries of its electric Model S sedan to China in April 2014 and recently opened a new store and service center in Shanghai. The company has said it remains confident of its long-term prospects in China.
JL Warren says that China has imported 5,042 Model S cars since April 2014. Of those, 70 percent are licensed and 30 percent are not. Unregistered cars could be sitting idle in garages of dealers or scalpers or driving illegally without licenses.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk told analysts on a Feb. 11 conference call that "even if our sales in China were zero this year, zero, I'm still confident we can do the 55,000 cars. They won't be zero."
