Tesla deliveries rise 70% in third quarter

Tesla increasing production of Model S and Model X cars sees deliveries to customers up by 70% in third quarter.

Tesla Motors, founded and led by Elon Musk, have ramped up production of its Model S and Model X cars, increasing deliveries to customers by 70% in the third quarter over the quarter before.

The firm which is yet to make a profit, said it shipped 24,500 cars in the third quarter, more than double the number delivered in the same period in 2015. Around 15,800 of the luxury five-door Model S and 8,700 of the Model X were delivered, with Tesla saying the figure was “slightly conservative” as it only counts a delivery that has been transferred to a customer.

Tesla confirmed that it would continue to increase production in the fourth quarter, despite challenges of delivering in winter weather and over the holiday season, with a production target of 50,000 for the second half of 2016.

Problems with production hindered Tesla’s progress as it tried to ramp up manufacturing of the Model X, but when it reported earnings at the beginning of August, the carmaker said it was making progress in overcoming the delays. Mr Musk said it had made “considerable progress” after “significant challenges”.

The US electric carmaker has been criticised recently, after an autopilot system was linked to several accidents.

The autopilot feature makes the vehicles automatically change lanes and react to traffic, but it is not a fully-fledged self-driving technology.

In a separate incident, researchers from China managed to hack into the operating system of its electric cars, manipulating the brake system on a Tesla while it was on the move, from a distance of 12 miles (19km). They also managed to open a car door without using a key.

Tesla is in the process of trying to acquire Solar City, a solar electricity company of which Mr Musk is chairman.

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