Tesla has reported record third-quarter revenue, beating Wall Street estimates, driven by the highest quarterly sales of its electric vehicles as car buyers rushed to lock in a key US tax credit ahead of its expiry last month.

The $US7500 ($A11,558) tax credit had been a driver of EV sales, and the industry is bracing for a drop in demand through the rest of the year. Tesla did not provide a full-year forecast.

"While we face near-term uncertainty from shifting trade, tariff and fiscal policy, we are focused on long-term growth and value creation," the company said in a shareholder update on Wednesday.

Shares of the Austin, Texas-based company were down about 2.0 per cent in extended trading.

The electric vehicle maker reported total revenue of $US28.1 billion ($A43.3 billion) for the

See Full Page