Tesla Sells Record 1.3 Million Vehicles in 2022

Last year was not all bad for Tesla.

The luxury electric vehicle manufacturer hit a new sales record in 2022, CNN reports. That is despite issuing a slew of recalls and facing a federal probe over its controversial driver-assist technology.

The 1.3 million vehicles that Tesla delivered last year marked a 40% jump from a year earlier. Still, the company fell short of analysts’ predictions for fourth-quarter deliveries, shipping a little more than 405,000 during the last three months of the year.

“Although 40% growth is nothing to sneeze at, Tesla’s pace of growth is slowing. Deliveries nearly doubled in 2021 and more than quadrupled in 2020,” David Goldman writes for CNN.

Tesla shaved prices on some new cars toward the end of last year, a rare move for the company and a tacit acknowledgment of waning demand. 

The automaker began offering $7,500 discounts on Model 3 and Model Y vehicles delivered in the U.S. in late December. It also offered a $5,000 credit on vehicles delivered in Canada.

The price tag on used Tesla vehicles has also been dropping. The average price for a used Tesla in November was $55,754, down 17% from a July peak of $67,297, according to a Reuters report.

Meanwhile, regulators are circling Tesla and CEO Elon Musk over safety concerns about the Autopilot driver-assist tech that comes with the electric vehicles. The system is designed to allow cars to steer, accelerate and brake automatically – without a human driver controlling the vehicle – while staying in their lane. 

But a string of crashes has raised questions about whether Tesla is overhyping the tech as fully self-driving. Several accidents have involved stopped emergency vehicles, indicating that Autopilot may not respond well to stationary objects and flashing lights.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating those accidents, while the Securities Exchange Commission is reportedly probing statements by the company and Musk exaggerating the technology’s capabilities.

How California's Lemon Law Protects Tesla Owners 

Tesla and other vehicle owners in California have some important rights and protections when it comes to defective and malfunctioning vehicles.

The California lemon law requires auto manufacturers to perform a wide variety of repairs on cars while they are under warranty. It also forces them to buy back cars that they cannot or will not fix. That includes compensating the owner for the vehicle’s purchase price, as well as financing fees, rental car costs and other related expenses.

There is no specific number of repair requests or attempts that a person must make before the buyback requirement kicks in. That is one of several reasons why it is important to consult an experienced attorney with a track record of assisting people in lemon law cases.

Talk with a California Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, a California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney.