The most popular car in the world is an electric car

Oh yeah, you read it well ! The Tesla Model Y is now the most popular car on the planet, outselling Japanese automaker Toyota.

It’s now official: the Tesla Model Y is the most popular car internationally, according to preliminary results of global sales by model series. The Californian car manufacturer managed to dethrone the Japanese giant Toyota, which had held first place for ages. The figures come from JATOone of the automotive expertise firms.

With 1.223 million units sold in 150 markets around the world, an increase of 64% compared to last year, the Model Y has won over consumers. The Toyota RAV4 SUV comes in second place with 1.075 million units sold. Even though Toyota places five models in the top 10, Tesla is the only manufacturer to have another vehicle in the list: the Model 3, which occupies 10th place with 508,000 units sold.

In 2023, new car sales reached 78.32 million units, an increase of almost seven million units compared to 2022, representing an increase of 10%. Among the 25 best-selling models, there are 13 Japanese models, 5 American, 3 Chinese, and 2 Korean and European models. The three Chinese models are BYD.

A success that cannot be denied

After winning the title of best-selling vehicle in the world in 2023, the Model Y also won first place in sales in the United States in 2024. The electric SUV notably won for the third time in a row the “ American Made Index » 2024.

Moreover, for the first time, sales of Chinese vehicles have exceeded those of American brands. Sales in emerging markets even surpassed those in the United States and Europe.

However, the Model Y may not retain its title as the world’s most popular vehicle for long. For what ? Aid for the purchase of electric vehicles is decreasing almost everywhere, such as in France, the United Kingdom and Germany, for example. Nevertheless, having placed the first electric car at the top of global sales is a historic achievement for Tesla.