A Tesla enthusiast says the brand has seen a surge in sales after American consumers learned the country’s $7,500 federal EV tax credit was going away. The TikTok user, who posts under the handle Frunk to Trunk (@frunktotrunk), has made his love for Tesla vehicles known in previous posts. In a recent clip, he says the brand’s online inventory pages indicate shoppers must wait five to six weeks for delivery of a new Tesla.
Is There A Tesla Shortage Due To High Demand?
He goes on to state that the purportedly low supply of Teslas are most palpable in Austin, Texas, and several cities in California, and he says that this same phenomenon has spread to other areas within a “200-mile-radius.”
As of this writing, Tesla’s website indeed says that there’s a “limited inventory” of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, urging intrigued buyers to “take delivery now.” Furthermore, one of the auto brand’s web pages reads that 0% financing is being offered with the purchase or transfer of Full Self-Driving (supervised), too, along with another reminder of the dissolution of the country’s federal EV tax credit.
InsideEVs went through the preliminary order process of a new Tesla Model 3 using the website’s online tool, setting the purchase zip code to one in Austin, Texas. The Tesla online store corroborates what Frunk to Trunk said in his video: “Available: 5-6 weeks.”
However, upon changing the zip code to Fort Lee, N.J., Tesla’s online store indicates that prospective buyers would be able to immediately start driving a new Model 3. The same goes for zip codes in New York City and Miami.
Changing the zip code to Inland Empire, Calif., prompts a four- to five-week delivery delay, and a zip code in Danville, Ky., prompts another five- to six-week wait time, suggesting that East Coast cities have a higher inventory than other parts of the country.
Frunk to Trunk says that these long estimated delivery times are indicative of an increased demand for the EV brand, which would be quite the reversal from 2025 sales reports.
Tesla Sales: Up And Down?
InsideEVs previously reported that second-quarter sales figures showed Tesla deliveries were down 13%. This period capped off a year of falling sales.
However, findings from a Cox Automotive report indicate that there was a surge of sales in July, not just for Teslas but for virtually all electric vehicle manufacturers. The car sales research group said the market experienced an increase of “26.4% month over month and 19.7% year over year,” which ultimately contributed to a 9.1% overall market share jump. Cox writes that Tesla saw the biggest leap in July, with 53,816 total units sold.
Other brands enjoyed significant sales gains as well. Moreover, used EV sales saw 23.2% month-over-month and 40% year-over-year gains as well, which suggests that there’s been a renewed interest from buyers in electric vehicles.
Tax Credit Disappearance The Root Cause?
The timing of EV sales jumps is hard to ignore, as a growing number of discussions have circulated the web about the end of the federal tax credit on Sept. 30. Although the Internal Revenue Service has given folks some extended time to take advantage of this incentive, Cox’s research suggests that consumers aren’t taking their chances and are electing to purchase fully electric vehicles to take advantage of the discount.
This social media vehicle financing expert broke down exactly what potential buyers can expect when buying or leasing a vehicle before the tax incentive ends. However, as Frunk to Trunk indicates, if you live in an area with a delivery time that extends beyond this date, you may not secure the discount in time. Of course, Tesla isn’t the only EV manufacturer in the game, and there are other automakers offering up tempting prices on their wares, too.
InsideEVs has reached out to Frunk to Trunk via email for further information.
