Tesla's third-quarter deliveries beat Wall Street expectations, sending its shares up 4.65 percent and signaling that the U.S. EV maker's core business may be stabilizing, according to its global production and delivery report released on Friday.
Data showed that Tesla produced about 464,400 electric vehicles in the third quarter, up 3.8 percent year on year and 2.7 percent quarter on quarter. Deliveries reached about 486,500 units from July to September, down 2.1 percent year on year but up 1.3 percent from the previous quarter -- surpassing analysts' estimates of 450,000 to 460,000 vehicles.
Analysts say the data suggests Tesla's core auto business may be stabilizing after two consecutive years of annual delivery declines. The company would need to deliver only about 310,000 vehicles in the fourth quarter to match last year's total of 1.636 million -- a figure lower than any single quarter since mid-2022.
Some analysts have also raised their full-year delivery forecasts for Tesla, projecting 1.82 million vehicles for 2026, up from a consensus estimate of 1.65 million in June.
A recovery in European demand is seen as a key factor behind Tesla's better-than-expected deliveries, mainly driven by government incentives, a low base from the same period last year, and rising consumer interest in electric vehicles.
Tesla stock gains 4.6 percent on stronger-than-expected third-quarter deliveries
China is seeing a significant surge in visitors from New Zealand, driven by a 30-day visa-free policy, expanded air routes, and simplified digital payment options.
According to Statistics New Zealand, the number of trips made by New Zealanders to China as their primary destination stood at 167,000 in 2025, while figures for the first seven months of this year alone have already exceeded 128,000.
The sharp rise highlights how the 30-day visa-free policy is reshaping outbound travel patterns, encouraging both first-time visits and frequent returns.
"Since the visa-free policy was introduced, we can feel that demand for travel to China has been steadily rising, with particularly significant growth this year," said Li Ruiqin, managing director of China Travel Service in New Zealand.
Air travel capacity between China and New Zealand has continued to expand this year, with airlines including Hainan Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Air China announcing to increase the number of flights between the two countries.
With more flight routes added and travel options expanded for New Zealanders, China's improved support for tourism services, including easier payments, language assistance and more convenient transportation, has become an important factor shaping the overall tourist experience.
"We've all got translator on our phones, but most of all, the way you pay for services, the way you pay for your breakfast, your dinner, if you've got WeChat or you've got Alipay, it is just so simple," said David Cunningham Carter, former Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives.
China sees sharp rise in New Zealand tourists amid visa-free policy, expanded flight routes
