Elon Musk Pokes Fun After Data Shows Tesla Leaving Rivals Eating Dust In US EV Market: 'Competition Is Coming'

Elon Musk‘s reaction to Tesla, Inc.‘s TSLA unassailable dominance in the American electric vehicle market was nothing short of a sarcastic swipe at competitors attempting to catch up.

What Happened: Tesla dominates the global electric vehicle (EV) market, leaving competitors, including both nimble startups and legacy automakers transitioning to EVs, struggling to keep pace.

Amid Ford Motor Co.‘s F decision to abandon plans for a $3.5 billion battery plant in Michigan, a Reuters report revealed that Tesla is pushing most of its U.S. competitors into “unprofitable, low-volume niches.”

In the first half of 2023, Tesla sold 325,291 EVs in the U.S., with General Motors GM a distant second at 34,943 units, and Ford Motor Co F following with 26,849 EVs sold. Tesla outsold its next 19 rivals combined during this period, as reported.

When Tesla influencer Sawyer Merritt shared this data on X (formerly Twitter), Musk responded in a mocking tone, stating, “The competition is coming.”

"The competition is coming"

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 27, 2023

See Also: Everything You Need To Know About Tesla Stock

Despite Tesla’s dominant position, the EV industry faces challenges such as economic conditions, reluctance to electrify, skepticism about range, self-driving capabilities, and charging infrastructure. Tesla also faces the risk of missing its third-quarter delivery guidance.

Newcomers to the industry face the challenge of ramping up production and scaling quickly enough to manage costs. 

Additionally, Tesla’s price cuts have started a price war, and failing to respond with price reductions could harm these startups. On the other hand, cutting prices could lead to financial losses and hinder their operations.

Legacy automakers have struggled with the transition to EVs due to their simultaneous focus on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and EVs. Ford, for example, delayed its annual EV production goal of 600,000 EVs by a year due to pricing pressures.

The ongoing strike by the United Auto Workers union against Detroit’s Big Three automakers could also throw a spanner in the works for the legacy giants.

Tesla ended Wednesday’s session down 1.48% at $240.50, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link.

Read Next: Tesla CEO Elon Musk Slams Biden For Supporting UAW Demands: ‘Sure Way To Drive GM, Ford And Chrysler Bankrupt’

Image: MidJourney and Jonathan Weiss-on-Shutterstock