Tesla Model Y was Europe's top-seller in June, first half

The Tesla Model Y was Europe’s top-selling car in June after it outsold popular mass-market combustion engine cars such as the Dacia Sandero and Volkswagen T-Roc.

The premium midsize SUV was also the region’s No. 1 seller overall in the first half -- the first time a Tesla model or a battery-electric car has been the region’s top-seller over a period of six months.

The SUV led the Dacia Sandero small hatchback, the No. 2 seller, by nearly 7,000 sales in both June and in the first half, according to preliminary figures from market researcher Dataforce.

In the first half, sales of the Model Y tripled to 125,144 from 40,147 in the same period the year before, according to data representing about 94 percent of sales in the European Union plus ETFA countries and the U.K.

However, its sales growth was not linear.

• In January, the Model Y’s volume grew by a four-digit figure from a small base to 6,889 units sold. It ranked No. 17 among Europe’s best-selling cars.
• In February, its volume was up year-on-year by 167 percent to 18,153 units. It was Europe’s top-seller overall for the first time overall with a lead of less than 100 units over the Sandero.
• In March, when traditionally Testa registers most of its quarterly sales, the Model Y’s volume was up 140 percent to 46,282 units, outselling its closest rival for the month -- the Opel/Vauxhall Corsa -- by more than by 20,000 units.
• The SUV then dropped to No. 17 in April with 11,072 units sold despite another four-digit monthly growth figure percentage wise compared with the same month last year.
• In May, the Model Y’s volume again had four-digit growth on a percentage basis to 17,812 units, but the Sandero took the No. 1 spot with sales of 20,808.
• With June sales of 29,765, up 104 percent, June was the Model Y’s second-best month after March despite its smallest monthly growth percentage wise so far this year, according to Dataforce's preliminary figures.

Sandero, VW T-Roc give chase

Sales of the Sandero were up 26 percent to 188,883 in June to give the hatchback the No. 2 spot. The gap between the Sandero and the T-Roc at No. 3 was more than 11,000 units. T-Roc sales were up 30 percent to 107,249, according to Dataforce's preliminary figures.

Tesla’s Model 3 sedan, the EV maker’s second best-seller, had a significant rebound in sales in June, with volume rising 115 percent to 12,693 units, outpacing the sales growth of the Model Y for the first time this year.

Over the first half, the Model 3’s volume was flat at 38,843 units sold, ranking it at No. 50 on Europe's ranking of top-sellers after six months.

The Model Y and 3 grew their combined sales by 85,000 in the first half, representing one-third of the 263,860 units increase of battery-electric car sales, which were up 45 percent to 853,720 January to June.

Tesla has aggressively cut prices in Europe and other global markets including the U.S. and China since January.