The Tesla Model 3 has overtaken the Nissan Leaf to become the best-selling electric vehicle (EV) in the United Kingdom (UK).
Strong sales in the first four months of 2021 helped push the electric sedan past the perennial favourite from Nissan. According to data from independent analyst Matthias Schmidt, there are a total of 39,900 Model 3’s on UK roads. That is 1,000 more than the Nissan Leaf which now sits at 38,900.
Making the feat even more impressive is the fact the Leaf has been available in the UK since 2011.
Tesla’s rise to the top comes even in the face of competition from a number of legacy automakers. In fact it is the popularity of the Model 3 which has pushed those automakers to bring their EVs to market according to Ben Nelmes of New AutoMotive.
“The speed at which the Tesla Model 3 has gone from zero to market leader has shown other carmakers the opportunities in electric vehicles. As a result, they are tearing up their strategies. Manufacturers are launching more electric models and driving the growth of the market, said Nelmes (via The Guardian).
The Model 3 has been so popular in the UK it has even been the top-selling car even when including gas cars in the mix. In December 2020 it outsold the likes of the massively popular VW Golf and Ford Fiesta by several thousand units.
