Tesla deliveries rise 7% before EV tax credits expire
Tesla vehicles are parked outside of a dealership on July 24, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
Brandon Bell | Getty Images
Tesla reported quarterly vehicle deliveries up 7% over the year prior for the period ended Tuesday, the same day that a key tax credit for buyers of electric vehicles in the U.S. expired.
Here are the key numbers:
- Total deliveries Q3 2025: 497,099
- Total production Q3 2025: 447,450
Shares sank Thursday following the report. Tesla plans to update investors on its third-quarter financial results on Oct. 22.
The company reported 462,890 total deliveries in the third quarter of 2024. Tesla saw a decline in production this quarter compared to the 469,796 vehicles produced last year.
The Elon Musk-led company was expected to report around 447,600 deliveries, according to estimates compiled by FactSet.
An independent researcher who publishes as Troy Teslike on Patreon predicted 481,000 deliveries for the quarter. Tesla distributed a company-compiled consensus on Sept. 26, which said analysts were expecting 443,079 deliveries.
The company doesn’t break out sales and production by model or region. However, Tesla said it produced 435,826 of its most popular Model 3 and Model Y cars. Deliveries are the closest approximation of vehicle sales reported by Tesla but are not precisely defined in the company’s shareholder communications.
Tesla’s third quarter was hampered by a continuing sales slump in Europe driven partly by consumer backlash against Musk and his incendiary political rhetoric and activism, as well by competition from EV makers like Volkswagen and BYD, which are picking up market share.
The slowdown in Europe was partially offset in the U.S., where buyers rushed to purchase EVs ahead of the expiration of a federal tax credit, which ended as part of President Donald Trump’s spending bill passed in July.
Earlier this week, Ford said sales of its all-electric vehicles increased by 30.2% during the period to help it notch a fresh quarterly record of more than 30,600 units, still lagging far behind Tesla.
Tesla’s stock price has been on a tear of late, jumping 40% in the third quarter and turning positive for the year following a brutal first three months of 2025. As of Wednesday’s close, the stock is up 14% this year, compared to the Nasdaq’s 18% gain.
In the second quarter, Tesla reported 384,122 deliveries, a 14% year-over-year decline and the second straight quarterly drop.
In Tesla’s energy business, the company said it deployed 12.5 GWh of its storage products, including its Megapack and new Megablock systems, which are backup batteries that store energy alongside businesses or utility-scale facilities.
Musk’s xAI has been a big buyer of Tesla’s battery energy storage systems in recent quarters.
Tesla’s Megapacks generally store electricity produced by renewable sources, like wind turbines or solar panels, for later use. They can also store electricity produced during lower-demand periods to be used during peak hours, helping defray some of the costs.
The company said it deployed 9.6 GWh of energy storage products in the second quarter of 2025, and 6.9 GWh of energy storage products during the third quarter of last year.
WATCH: U.S. EV tax credit ending will be long-term win for Tesla
Shares of USA Rare Earth jumped in extended trading Thursday, after CEO Barbara Humpton told CNBC that the rare earth miner is “in close communication” with the White House.
Humpton’s comment comes after the Trump administration took a 5% equity stake in Lithium Americas this week. The Defense Department took a 15% stake in rare earth miner MP Materials in July.
“We are in close communication with the administration,” Humpton told CNBC’s Morgan Brennan when asked whether USA Rare Earth was interested in a deal with the Trump administration.
USA Rare Earth stock year to date.
USA Rare Earth shares were last up about 8% after hours. Its stock gained 23% in regular trading Thursday and has nearly doubled this year.
“This is a field where it will not be a zero sum game,” Humpton said of the rare earth supply chain. “It’s going to take a lot of players to build out this marketplace.”
USA Rare Earth is developing a mine in Sierra Blanca, Texas, and a magnet production facility in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Humpton said she supports the Trump administration’s deals with MP and Lithium Americas.
“What we’re doing is keeping the administration informed of our own plans,” she said.
The adminstration has said it is making the investments to help support the industry and break U.S. dependence on China.
Environment
Tesla applies for patent to make Cybertruck look even more ridiculous but more efficient
Tesla has applied for a new patent that would make the Cybertruck look even more ridiculous than it already does, but it would also make towing more efficient.
The Cybertruck is one of, if not the most, polarizing vehicles of all time, and its design is primarily to blame.
Much of the design is due to the use of stainless steel panels and the attempt to make pickup trucks more aerodynamically efficient.
Tesla has managed to improve on the drag coefficient of the average pickup truck.
However, it doesn’t help much with towing a trailer, which is going to catch a lot of that drag.
Tesla has now applied for a new patent on a device that would help push wind over a trailer towed by the Cybertruck.
The American automaker wrote in the abstract of the patent application:
An inflatable aerodynamic deflector to reduce drag and enhance efficiency. Constructed from drop stitch material, it forms one or more air chambers between parallel skins. The component includes a pressure regulation mechanism and diverse attachment interfaces such as rail systems, magnetic fasteners, and quick disconnect clips, distributed along the vehicle for secure mounting. This component acts as an aerodynamic deflector, optimizing airflow around conveyances, especially combination vehicles like tow vehicles and trailers.
In short, Tesla is working on an inflatable device that could sit on the bed of the Cybertruck and rise to close the air gap between the truck, thereby extending the angle of the windshield over the trailer.
Here are some of the drawings from the patent application
Electrek’s Take
To be fair, companies often apply for patents on products that they don’t have concrete plans to bring to production, and this could easily be the case here.
That’s especially true for the Cybertruck.
The program is so much smaller than Tesla anticipated, and with smaller volumes, it makes less sense to launch accessories.
That said, I’m pro everything that makes driving more efficient, regardless of whether it makes a vehicle silly.
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The 2026 Hyundai Kona Electric lineup will be offered in a single trim, but at least it’s the most affordable one.
Here’s the new 2026 Hyundai Kona Electric lineup
With the IONIQ 5 stealing the spotlight, Hyundai is downsizing the 2026 Kona Electric to just one trim — the base SE model.
Hyundai didn’t provide prices, but the 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric SE was the brand’s most affordable EV, starting at just $32,975. The SEL, Limited, and N Line trims will not be offered for the 2026 model year.
In another blow, Hyundai is also dropping the Long Range battery, meaning the 2026 Kona Electric will only be available with the Standard Range battery.
The Long Range 64.8 kWh battery offers a driving range of up to 261 miles, while the Standard Range 48.6 kWh battery delivers a driving range of just 200 miles. The only other change is that the SE trim will now include a larger console tray.
With new models arriving, like the 2026 Nissan LEAF and the 2027 Chevy Bolt EV, the Kona Electric will no longer be one of the few EVs starting under $35,000.
Nissan claims the 2026 LEAF “has the lowest starting MSRP for any new EV currently on sale in the US” at just $29,990. The new LEAF also offers significantly more range, with over 300 miles, and features a NACS port for recharging at Tesla Superchargers.
While it’s cutting the Kona Electric lineup, Hyundai appears to be focused on its top-selling EV for 2026, the IONIQ 5.
Following the expiration of the federal EV tax credit, Hyundai reduced prices on the 2026 IONIQ 5 by up to nearly $10,000 on certain trims. The 2026 IONIQ 5 now starts at just $35,000. It’s also extending the $7,500 credit for 2025 models.
Is the Kona Electric on its way out with the IONIQ 5 now available for about the same price? Either that, or Hyundai will have to cut prices on the Kona EV to stay competitive.
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