Which Tesla model became the first electric car to pass 1 million global sales?

The Tesla Model 3 became the first electric car to pass 1 million global sales. It reached that milestone in June 2021, a major marker for both Tesla and the wider electric-vehicle industry.

Introduced in 2017, the Model 3 was designed as Tesla’s more affordable, higher-volume car. Its launch followed the premium Roadster, Model S, and Model X, whose sales helped Tesla develop its battery technology, manufacturing systems, and charging network. The Model 3’s relatively lower price and sedan format greatly expanded Tesla’s potential customer base.

The Model 3 was also the world’s best-selling plug-in electric car from 2018 through 2020. A common mix-up is confusing this milestone with Tesla becoming the first manufacturer to sell 1 million electric cars in total; that earlier company-wide milestone was reached in 2020. The Model Y later surpassed the Model 3 in annual sales, but it was not the first individual electric-car model to cross 1 million global sales.