Tesla easily passes BMW for the 2022 U.S. luxury crown

Tesla Inc. easily captured the U.S. luxury-vehicle sales crown for 2022, new data shows, crushing reigning champion BMW.

Among all luxury players and regardless of fuel type, Tesla had 484,351 new vehicle registrations, for a 41 percent increase over 2021, Experian data shows. BMW had 327,929 new registrations, a 5.3-percent drop, and Mercedes-Benz had 269,511 — nearly identical to its 2021 number.

Because Tesla does not break out its U.S. sales results, new vehicle registration data serves as the closest thing to an apples-to-apples market comparison. Previous 2022 estimates had suggested Tesla had won the sales crown, but the Experian data provides greater detail of the gulf between Tesla and its legacy rivals.

Total new vehicle registrations among 15 luxury brands fell 3.5 percent in the U.S. last year to 2.18 million, the data showed. Excluding Tesla, luxury registrations slumped 11 percent.

Tesla's results represent the first time it has topped the luxury segment, and it did so without the benefit of any gasoline-engine products. Its German, Asian and American rivals are far behind in EV adoption, with BMW tallying 14,159 new EV registrations last year and Mercedes-Benz totaling 11,444, Experian said.

Most of the U.S. luxury market activity is still in internal combustion engine models.

Lexus, which had no electric models, was in fourth place in the luxury race with 260,668 registrations last year, for a 16 percent drop. Audi was in fifth place with 184,279 registrations, an 8.7 percent decrease from 2021. Audi's EV registrations numbered 16,186 last year, Experian data showed.

Cadillac had 133,521 total new registrations, a 6.5-percent increase, for sixth place. The brand's first EV, the Lyriq crossover, had only 157 registrations before the year ended.

Acura, which also had no electric models, suffered the biggest year-on-year decline among the luxe brands, falling 36 percent to 101,345 new registrations. Volvo was in eighth place with 97,744 for a 21 percent decline. Volvo's EV registrations were 6,917 last year, Experian said.

Lincoln was in ninth place with 81,813 registrations, none of them EVs, for a 10 percent year-on-year decline. Porsche was No. 10 on the luxury list, with 64,610 registrations for a 5.4 percent decline. The performance brand had 6,803 registrations of its battery-electric Taycan sedan.

The bottom five brands were: Land Rover, Genesis, Infiniti, Alfa Romeo and Jaguar.

Tesla, with its sparse interiors and limited feature set, is considered a luxury brand by dint of its sticker prices, its performance capabilities and its advanced software. Tesla's least expensive vehicle, the Model 3 sedan, starts at $44,630 with shipping. Its Model X crossover starts at $111,630 with shipping.