Tesla’s (TSLA) demand is through the roof, already sold out this quarter

Tesla (TSLA) is currently seeing exceptionally strong demand for its vehicles as it is already sold out for the quarter, according to sources familiar with the matter.

During Tesla’s Q1 2021 earnings conference call, CEO Elon Musk commented on strong demand for the automaker:

“We’ve seen a real shift in customer perception of electric vehicles and our demand is the best we’ve ever seen. We’re used to seeing a reduction in demand in the first quarter and we saw an increase in demand that exceeded the normal seasonal reduction in demand in in Q1.”

This shift in demand is apparently extending into the second quarter.

Sources familiar with the matter told Electrek that Tesla communicated to employees that production capacity for the second quarter is already sold out with still almost two months left in the quarter.

That was to be expected for Model S and Model X with the new versions of these vehicles having production delays that are going to limit deliveries this quarter, but Model 3 and Model Y are still ramping up, and yet, they are sold out.

Now it’s about producing and delivering those vehicles to customers by the end of the quarter and building the backlog into Q3.

Tesla is expected to have a slightly higher production capacity this quarter versus the record production of 180,338 vehicles last quarter.

The restart of Model S production and an increase in Model Y production in Shanghai and Fremont are expected to be the biggest contributors.

Electrek‘s take

It looks like Elon wasn’t kidding when he said that Tesla is seeing a “real shift in customer perception.”

Selling out the planned production capacity for the quarter, which is going to reach a new record, while not even being halfway through the quarter, is quite impressive.

However, Tesla didn’t share with employees the planned production capacity, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s over 200,000 vehicles this quarter, especially with the Model Y ramp-up in Shanghai that we have seen in March and a few new Model S vehicles in Fremont.

The strong demand also likely explain why Tesla is slowing down its referral program as we reported yesterday.

Tesla doesn’t have much incentive to promote sales at this time.