Video [2:37 min]: The Hockey Stick:

The term "hockey stick" in a business or stock market context refers to a specific chart pattern that shows a rapid, sharp increase (the blade of the stick) after a long period of little or flat growth (the shaft of the stick). This dramatic shift in data points is often observed in the sales of a new product or a company's revenue and can, in turn, lead to a corresponding rise in the share price. Tesla is one example, can you think of three others?

TESLA

Tesla's "hockey stick" growth in unit sales occurred primarily in the years following the launch and ramp-up of the Model 3 and Model Y, specifically the period from approximately 2018 to 2023, with sales skyrocketing from hundreds of thousands to over 1.8 million annually.

Below are Tesla's global annual unit sales (deliveries) during this high-growth period:

**Worldwide Tesla Sales**
Tesla Sales During Hockey Stick Years
	Annual Unit Sales (Deliveries)
2018	245,240
2019	367,500
2020	499,550
2021	936,950
2022	1,313,581
2023	1,808,581

This steep increase marked the period when electric vehicle sales, and Tesla's market share in particular, moved from niche to mainstream, though some analysts noted at the time that expectations of unending "hockey-stick growth" were unrealistic.

Note that in 2024, Tesla's annual sales fell for the first time in 12 years, amidst increased competition and a general market slowdown.