AI illustration: Tesla makes close to 1 million vehicles in 2020
TeslaCars & Energy
Missed

Tesla 1 million cars in 2020: missed

Elon Musk promised Close to 1 million Tesla vehicles in 2020 by the end of 2020. The deadline passed and it didn't happen.

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“I mean, it's fair to say like probably like, you know, our 2020 target for volume is, you know, closer to, you know, maybe close to 1 million vehicles in 2020 or something like that.”
— Elon Musk · May 4, 2016 · Tesla Q1 2016 earnings call transcript, 2016-05-04 ↗
What actually happened

Tesla produced 509,737 vehicles in 2020, about half of 1 million. Tesla Q4 2020 production & deliveries ↗

The Progression

May 4, 2016
The promise: “I mean, it's fair to say like probably like, you know, our 2020 target for volume is, you know, closer to, you know, maybe close to 1 million vehicles in 2020 or something like that.” · Tesla Q1 2016 earnings call transcript, 2016-05-04 ↗
Dec 31, 2020
Deadline passed. Tesla produced 509,737 vehicles in 2020, about half of 1 million. Tesla Q4 2020 production & deliveries ↗
Today · Oct 12, 2026
Status: Missed · 2,111 days past due. Never happened.

In May 2016 Elon Musk said Tesla's 2020 volume target was close to 1 million vehicles. Tesla built 509,737 in 2020.

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Receipts

LAST CHECKED 2026-10-11

Tesla’s record

Delivered
70
53% of resolved claims delivered.
Missed
63
Deadline passed, still no-show.
Still open
37
On the clock now. All 170 Tesla claims →

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← Tesla builds 500,000 cars in 2018 Tesla makes half a million cars in 2020 →
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