US electric car maker Tesla Motors lost $US49.8 million ($A53.88 million) in the first quarter as it accelerated the development of its new crossover.
Tesla's loss of 40 cents per share compared with a profit of 10 cents per share in the January-March period last year.
Last year's first-quarter profit was the decade-old company's first ever profitable quarter.
Revenue grew 10 per cent to $US620.5 million in the latest quarter. Tesla said on Wednesday it produced a record 7535 Model S sedans during the period and delivered 6457 to customers.
Still, the results fell far short of Wall Street's estimates. Analysts polled by FactSet had forecast a profit of 8 cents per share on revenue of $US683.5 million.
Tesla's shares fell 8 per cent to $185.51 in after-hours trading.
Research and development costs jumped 49 per cent to $US81.5 million as Tesla prepares to launch the Model X crossover next year and adapts the Model S for a growing number of international markets.
Tesla plans to launch a right-hand-drive Model S in the United Kingdom in June and in Japan and Hong Kong later this summer.
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