[Tesla’s third-quarter sales were higher than expected, showing that the car business is stabilizing] October 2nd, Tesla’s third-quarter sales were better than expected, showing that the company’s core business is stabilizing as the electric vehicle market faces challenges. The automaker delivered 486,532 vehicles globally during the quarter, according to a statement released Friday. That compares with analysts' average forecast of 463,761 units. This performance is a big plus for Tesla. The company previously experienced a period of declining vehicle sales and lagging stock price performance. But sales in the third quarter were down compared with the same period last year. Tesla delivered a record 497,099 vehicles in the third quarter of last year, as consumers rushed to buy cars before federal incentives were lifted in the United States. Still, Wall Street expects Tesla to be able to post modest sales growth this year after two consecutive years of declining sales.