Tesla reports record deliveries of 10,030 cars in 1rst Quarter

(Reuters) -- Tesla Motors Inc. said today it delivered a record 10,030 cars in the first quarter, a 55 percent increase compared with the number of deliveries in the first quarter of last year. The company said going forward it will publish the number of new car deliveries within three days of quarter end as inaccurate sources of information have sometimes been used by others in publishing the number of vehicle deliveries. The company expects to deliver about 55,000 cars globally in 2015, an increase of about 74 percent. The company's stock has been battered this year by investors concerned about the auto maker's failure to hit sales targets in China and the departures last year of two top Tesla executives in that country. Earlier in the week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted several optimistic statements about the company's sinking China operations. Tesla Motors is also set to offer upgrades including hands-free steering on its Model S sedan in three months, about a year ahead of other automakers. Up to Thursday's close of $191, the stock had fallen 14.1 percent this year.