Tesla Delivers 480,126 Vehicles in Second Quarter, Up 25 Percent Year Over Year

Tesla sold 480,126 vehicles in the second quarter, a 25 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, Insider reported. The figure surpassed a Bloomberg consensus estimate of 396,466 vehicles and a company-compiled consensus of 406,024 vehicles. Tesla's share price rose nearly 2 percent in premarket trading after the sales release before giving back some gains.

The company has faced declining U.S. electric vehicle demand since the $7,500 federal tax credit ended in September 2025, with total U.S. EV sales falling 27 percent in the first quarter of 2026, according to Cox Automotive.

Gasoline prices rose sharply after the start of the war in the Middle East. Average U.S. prices increased from just under $3 per gallon in February to about $4.56 per gallon in May, AAA data showed. U.S.

EV sales reached their highest level since the tax credit ended when they topped 85,000 units in May, Kelley Blue Book reported. Stephanie Valdez-Streaty, Cox Automotive's director of industry insights, said Tesla's second-quarter sales benefited from high gas prices, particularly in European and Chinese markets.

Growth in alternative fuel vehicles in the United States has instead favored hybrids, which Tesla does not offer.

Tesla continues to shift resources toward new products. In January, Elon Musk said the company would end production of Model S and X vehicles to free factory space for the Optimus humanoid robot, which is scheduled to begin production this summer. Only a few dozen Cybercab robotaxis are operating in Austin, Houston, and Dallas a year after the service started.

SpaceX, Musk's other public company, raised $85 billion in a record IPO and is now valued nearly $480 billion more than Tesla. SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said synergies exist between the two companies and did not rule out a future merger.