NEW YORK (AP) — Tesla's annual sales rose 36%, but the electric car company came short of its annual goal to deliver 500,000 vehicles.

The company said Saturday that it delivered 499,500 for the year, including 180,570 SUVs and sedans for the October through December period.

CEO Elon Musk set a goal of delivering 500,000 vehicles in 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic hit, and Tesla stuck to that goal even though the virus forced its only U.S. assembly plant to close for several weeks in the spring.

In the first nine months of the year, Tesla reported that it delivered just over 318,000 vehic...