One-in-five pure electric vehicles on UK roads is a Tesla

Tesla has reached the milestone of 200,000 vehicles delivered to UK customers, just 10 years after it launched here with the Model S.

It means, with the UK celebrating the registration of its one-millionth battery electric vehicle (BEV) in January, Tesla is responsible for one-fifth of all BEVs on UK roads.     

The first deliveries of the Tesla Model S in the UK began in 2014, with Elon Musk handing over the first cars to customers.

Since then, Tesla has helped transform the electric car market and installed more than 1,400 Superchargers at 140 locations.

The Tesla Model Y has become a clear favourite among company car drivers, achieving the largest number of registrations in the true fleet market during 2023. 

The Model Y was also the fifth best-selling car overall, and the UK's most popular electric vehicle (EV).

Country sales and delivery manager for Tesla, Michael Oates, said: “Reaching this milestone of 200,000 deliveries shows how far Tesla have contributed to the UK’s transition to sustainable energy.

“More and more customers are not just looking towards Tesla as an option for sustainability, but also for safety and affordability.”

Tesla says it has established a “robust” direct-to-customer sales and service model across 40 locations in the UK.

It also services 50% of all its vehicles using mobile servicing, allowing customers to arrange for a vehicle service whether at home or whilst at the office.

The company is also building its second Tesla body repair centre in the UK, as it aims to build greater confidence in its own parts and repair network in addition to its 65-plus Tesla approved body repair centres.

However, Tesla has acknowledged areas for improvement with how it works with fleets after concerns have been raised about the brand by multiple UK operators.

The frustration often lays with how Tesla wants to have a direct relationship with the company car driver, with fleet managers often left in the dark about service, maintenance and repair (SMR).

Tesla told Fleet News it would continue to disrupt the market, but there are areas it would like to improve on, including communicating on what it can offer and that it is listening to feedback from fleet customers.

Tesla timeline

• 2014 - Model S launched in the UK in June 2014 at a launch event hosted by Elon Musk. 
• 2014 - The first Supercharger was energised at Royal Victoria Docks.
• 2016 - Model X orders began in the UK, the first electric SUV with falcon wing doors.
• 2019 - Model 3 launched in 2019 in the UK.
• 2022 - Model Y launched in the UK.
• 2023 – Tesla opens its V4 Supercharger in the UK, designed from the ground-up for all EVs. 
• 2023 – Tesla launches its certified pre-owned vehicle programme.
• 2024 – Tesla launches the upgraded Model 3 in the UK.