Tesla sales rise 36% in first quarter, following price cuts

DETROIT (AP) — Tesla's first-quarter vehicle sales rose 36% after the company cut prices twice in a bid to stimulate demand.

The electric car, SUV and heavy truck maker said it delivered 422,875 vehicles worldwide from January to March, up from just over 310,000 a year ago. But the increase fell short of analyst estimates of 432,000 for the quarter, according to FactSet. The first quarter sales were a record for the company.

Tesla cut prices in early March on its more expensive models, the S and X, by $5,000 to as much as $10,000. In January it slashed the sticker numbers on several versions of its EVs, making some eligible for a U.S. $7,500 federal tax credit. Some versions of the top-selling Model Y small SUV saw price trims of nearly 20%, and the base price of the Model 3 small car was dropped by 6%.

The price cuts appeared to have raised demand despite increasing interest rates designed to slow the economy and curb inflation. Since the U.S. Federal Reserve began raising rates in March of last year, the average new vehicle loan has jumped from 4.5% to 7%, according to Edmunds data.