Deliveries amounted to 497,100 cars, seven percent more than the corresponding period last year. Expectations were 429,600, according to a compilation of forecasts.
Production was almost at a standstill at 447,450 cars.
The share is rising by around 4 percent in trading. Tesla's share price has been strong in the last month, up 33 percent in September, after having been going slowly for a while.
Sales in the USA have received an extra boost ahead of a tax deduction that has now disappeared at the turn of the month.
The result for the car manufacturer will be presented later.
