UK vehicle statistics / Tesla
How many Tesla cars are left?
At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 285,673 licensed and 2,231 SORN Tesla vehicles in the UK, across 4 published model groups.
Looking at a Tesla?
Population figures describe a model group, not the car in front of you.
Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. Before buying, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.
Is the Tesla fleet shrinking?
Adding up every published Tesla model group: 285,673 are licensed as of 2026 Q1 — the highest count in the published series, so the Tesla range is still arriving on UK roads rather than leaving them. That is up 412% in the five years since 2021 Q1.
Tesla MOT pass rate
In 2024, 83.1% of 74,227 Tesla MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average.
The items most often behind a first-test failure across published Tesla model groups:
- Condition — 7.4% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Tread Depth — 5.6% of tests. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Suspension Arms — 1.5% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Headlamp Aim — 1.3% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
See every model on the Tesla MOT pass rate page.
Before you buy
- Condition — 7.4% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
- Tread Depth — 5.6% of tests in 2024. Tyres below the 1.6mm legal limit. Budget for tyres, and treat it as a sign of how the car was maintained.
- Suspension Arms — 1.5% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
- Headlamp Aim — 1.3% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
- Check the actual Tesla — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.
Rarest Tesla models
The published Tesla model groups with the smallest surviving populations.
- Model X — 5,900 licensed, 211 SORN
- Model S — 9,925 licensed, 379 SORN
- Model Y — 131,449 licensed, 516 SORN
- Model 3 — 138,399 licensed, 1,125 SORN
Every Tesla model
| Model | Licensed | SORN |
|---|---|---|
| Model 3 | 138,399 | 1,125 |
| Model Y | 131,449 | 516 |
| Model S | 9,925 | 379 |
| Model X | 5,900 | 211 |
How to read these numbers
Licensed means taxed and legal to use on the road at the end of the quarter. SORN means the keeper has declared it off the road — it still exists, but it is not in use. A model group's total is the best available proxy for how many survive, and a shrinking one means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply.
Common questions
How many Tesla cars are left in the UK?
285,673 Tesla vehicles were licensed and 2,231 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, across 4 published model groups, according to DfT and DVLA statistics.
Which Tesla is rarest?
Of the published Tesla model groups, the Model X has the smallest surviving population at 5,900 licensed and 211 SORN.
Is the Tesla fleet shrinking?
285,673 are licensed as of 2026 Q1 — the highest count in the published series, so the Tesla range is still arriving on UK roads rather than leaving them. That is up 412% in the five years since 2021 Q1.
What is the Tesla MOT pass rate?
83.1% of 74,227 class-4 initial MOT tests on Tesla cars passed first time in 2024 — above the 71.2% UK average.
What do Tesla cars fail the MOT on?
Across published Tesla model groups, the most common initial failure categories in 2024 are condition (7.4% of tests), tread depth (5.6% of tests), suspension arms (1.5% of tests). DVSA publishes each model group's six most common categories, so this ranks the biggest published causes.
Does a Tesla population figure describe the car I am looking at?
No. It describes the model group. Enter the registration for that car's own free MOT, tax and mileage record.
Source and limitations
Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.
Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.