It’s not breaking news that 2020 hasn’t exactly been a typical sales year for the auto industry. Not every brand did as poorly as they thought. Still, according to the year to date data on Good Car Bad Car, there’s only one brand that sold enough units this year to beat last year’s sales numbers. By the end of the third quarter, Tesla’s year to date 2020 sales numbers make it the only brand that’s not in the red.

If outselling last year is a way to define success, then Tesla is the only brand succeeding with its 2020 sales numbers. Tesla’s electric vehicles have ranges that continue to grow longer. In addition, Elon Musk tweets relentlessly. Then there are big announcements at interesting events like the recent Tesla Battery Day.

Long ranges

In a recent post from Car and Driver, there is a detailed account of several ways in which Tesla keeps its electric battery range competitive. Supercharging stations are one way that Tesla stays ahead of other brands. Another attribute is the model to model improvement for fast charging range.

“The first Supercharger added roughly 70 miles of range to a Model S in 15 minutes, the current Model S gains 160 miles in the same time period. Unsurprisingly, Tesla told Car and Driver that the next Model S will support even quicker charging.”

Car and Driver

Full access battery pass

In addition to the supercharging stations and ever-improving fast-charge technology, Tesla also give owners full access to the entire battery pack in each model. In effect, Tesla has designed its batteries to pack a little extra energy. It’s basically like the reserve fuel in the tank of a gas-powered car.

“The company has always offered the entire pack in all of its vehicles.”

Car and Driver

Other companies like Toyota or Audi reserve cells from the battery which takes away from the full battery life. Tesla on the other hand gives drivers the full pack for range use. It’s been engineered very thoughtfully and also different than others.

Tesla profitability

Under Elon Musk’s shepherding, Tesla remains as interesting a car company as always. Stocks are up, share prices could skyrocket any second, and the third quarter is showing great numbers for Tesla sales. In fact, better in terms of year to year growth than any other brand on the market––electric or not.

New models

For most of 2020 Tesla has been under fire from the media for its interesting tactics for dealing with the virus. That said, it’s been talked about in terms of profitability each quarter. In addition, the brand has released the all-new Model Y compact SUV into the segment. There are also upcoming models like the Cybertruck and the Model S Plaid that consumers are looking forward to.

As we come closer to the end of the year it’s going to be interesting to see how the brands of the auto industry fared in 2020. Each year impacts the next and so far it looks like Tesla is gearing up for and even better 2021. Tesla’s progressive business strategies appear to be paying off, though time will tell the ultimate longevity of Tesla’s success. As of quarter three in 2020 however, this EV brand is the only auto brand that’s not in the red for year to date sales numbers.