Tesla gross sales will develop by greater than 50% in 2022 in contrast with final yr regardless of provide chain issues, chief govt Elon Musk has stated.

The electrical carmaker recorded a document $5.5bn (£4bn) earnings final yr.

Gross sales on the agency rocketed 71% to $53.8bn in 2021, because it delivered greater than 936,000 automobiles to clients.

However the agency warned progress would sluggish, as provide chain points affecting carmakers proceed to restrict its manufacturing capability.

Mr Musk stated that 2021 was “a breakthrough yr for Tesla, and for electrical automobiles normally”.

“Whereas we battled, and everybody did, with provide chain challenges by means of the yr, we managed to develop our volumes by practically 90% final yr,” he stated.

The corporate stated its provide chain was “the principle limiting issue” to progress, “which is more likely to proceed by means of 2022”.

He stated he anticipated progress “comfortably above 50%” in 2022.

Carmakers world wide are grappling with a scarcity of microchips, amongst different manufacturing and provide chain snarls, although Tesla had been seen as faring higher than most.

It makes use of chips which might be much less scarce and shortly re-writes software program, whereas rivals sluggish manufacturing.

The agency, which began in California, now has factories in China and Texas, with one other beneath building in Berlin.

The vegetation are anticipated to assist Tesla dramatically increase its manufacturing, even because it faces new competitors from established carmakers turning their consideration to electrical automobiles.

It has the problem of opening two factories this yr with chips and different elements in brief provide and new batteries and applied sciences to be launched.

However Mr Musk stated the agency was taking a look at constructing new factories in new places sooner or later.

Wanting forward, Mr Musk stated he anticipated absolutely self-driving automobiles “will grow to be a very powerful supply of profitability for Tesla”.

“The automobiles within the fleet primarily changing into self-driving by way of a software program replace may find yourself being the most important improve in asset worth of any asset class in historical past, we will see,” Mr Musk added.

He has downplayed issues that different corporations may pose a risk, noting on Twitter that corporations like GM have “some room for enchancment”.

Dan Ives, analyst at Wedbush Securities, stated he thought Tesla would have been capable of ship 10% to twenty% extra automobiles within the final three months of the yr with out the provision points.

However regardless of that cloud he stated, “these supply numbers mixed with this ‘spectacular earnings beat’ speaks to an EV demand trajectory that appears fairly strong for Tesla heading into 2022”.