Tesla Motors said Monday it delivered 14,820 vehicles in the first quarter of 2016, an almost 50 percent rise over the same period last year.
DETROIT, MI - Tesla Motors said Monday it delivered 14,820 vehicles in the first quarter of 2016, an almost 50 percent rise over the same period last year.
However, the delivery count - which included 12,400 Model S cars and 2,400 Model X SUVs - was below Tesla's February forecast of 16,000 units.
The Palo Alto, Claif.-based electric carmaker said Q1 deliveries were hit by "severe Model X supplier parts shortages in January and February that lasted much longer than initially expected."
Tesla said the issues were resolved by March, and production by the last week of the month had been up to 750 Model X SUVs being built per week, though it was too late for many to be delivered by the end of the quarter.
Despite the lower-than-forecast delivery count, Tesla reaffirmed its commitment to delivering 80,000-90,000 vehicles for the full year.
Tesla said it is addressing the root causes of the supply shortage as it readies for production of the Model 3, which the company unveiled Thursday in the Los Angeles area.
With a base price of $35,000 and electric range of 215 miles, Tesla aims for the Model 3 to be an accessible electric car for the masses.
The company has received mass interest so far, with reservations topping 275,000 in just the first three days of opening up spots for the yet-to-be-produced car.
Tesla plans to start building the Model 3 at its Fremont, Calif. factory near the end of 2017.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook.