Tesla Model S outsells Mercedes & BMW say CNN. Rubbish.

We don’t have much time for the push to make the electric car a replacement for the ICE car. But we do applaud – and covet – the Tesla Model S for its technical ability and performance. And its tax breaks.

The Model S is proving a big success for Tesla – and giving Tesla its first trading profit ever and a big jump in share price in the process – with sales in the first quarter of 2013, which saw 4,750 Model S leave Tesla for customers garages.

Now CNN are talking up the success of the Model S (although they seem to have lifted the comparison from Green Car Reports) further by claiming it is now so successful it’s outselling the German luxury competition with far more sales so far in 2013 than the Mercedes S Class, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8. But that’s a pointless comparison.

The Tesla Model S comes under a completely different category from the luxury cars from Mercedes, BMW, Audi (and Jaguar) and comparing sales numbers with those cars is as convincing as saying the Tesla Model S outsold the Rolls Royce Phantom and Bentley Mulsanne.

In fact, we should be comparing sales of the Model S with sales of cars like the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E Class and Audi A6. Then the numbers look very different indeed.

Take the BMW 5 Series as an example. In 2012 BMW sold more than 300,000 5 Series cars in the US – a figure that dwarfs Tesla sales – and is a proper comparison with the Model S, with a range of models broadly falling in the same price brand. The S-Class, by comparison, starts where the Model S leaves off and keeps on going.

The Tesla Model S is doing well, but when it comes to comparisons let’s compare apples with apples and set the record straight.

It seems Green Car Reports and CNN may have a ‘Green’ agenda and don’t want facts to get in the way of a story.

By Cars UK