SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch)—Tesla Motors Inc. is scheduled to release third-quarter earnings after Wednesday’s closing bell.

Investors want to see delivery figures and other indications of demand for the electric cars in North America, Europe and China.

Unlike other car makers, Tesla TSLA, +1.25% does not report monthly sales, but reports deliveries by quarter. It has set a goal of delivering more than 35,000 cars in 2014, or a 55% increase over 2013 deliveries. It has said third-quarter deliveries will reach 7,800 cars.

Chief Executive Elon Musk caused a stir last week by tweeting that September sales world-wide had hit a “record high,” and were up 65% in North America—a market that many worry is becoming saturated for Tesla’s Model S luxury sedan, which starts at about $70,000.

Here’s what investors can expect from Tesla earnings:

Earnings: Tesla is expected to report a profit of 1 cent a share, according to the average estimate of analysts surveyed by FactSet. That would compare with earnings of 12 cents a share in the same period a year ago.

Revenue: Sales are pegged at $892.1 million, up 48% from $602.6 million in the same period a year ago.

Share price: Shares of Tesla have jumped 54% so far this year through late-afternoon trade on Wednesday, compared with a 9.4% rise for the S&P 500 index SPX, -2.15% , and a gain of 0.2% for the Russell 2000 RUT, -2.57% , a small-cap benchmark.

Analysts polled by FactSet have an average rating of overweight on the stock, with an average price target of $267.15—a 15% upside from current levels.

Other issues: Where to begin? If Tesla is to achieve its goal of delivering 35,000 cars this year, it will have to deliver about 13,000 in the fourth quarter. That’s about two-thirds more than is expected for the just-ended quarter. A lot will be riding on what Tesla has to say about that.

Looking further ahead, investors want to know whether Tesla is on track to meet its ambitious goal of ending 2015 at an annualized delivery rate of 100,000 cars.

Updates on the Model X (the SUV) and the mass-market Model 3 are also on the list. The Model X is expected to go on sale next year, sporting distinctive falcon-wing doors. Musk has promised a Model X prototype, as close to production as possible, for later this year.

The Model 3 is expected within a couple of years, and its production hinges on the success of Tesla’s “gigafactory” being built outside Reno, Nev. To produce a mass-market car, expected to cost about $35,000, Tesla needs its batteries to be cheaper, more efficient, and more plentiful.

That leads to another question: What companies beyond Japan’s Panasonic Corp. 6752, -0.50% will invest in the battery factory? Panasonic has agreed to produce lithium ion cells for the battery packs and is expected to contribute 30% to 40% of the total cost of the factory, estimated at $5 billion, but Tesla has said other companies will pitch in.

Equally, investors want to know how the sluggish global economy and lower oil prices are affecting Tesla’s outlook. Much of the company’s future hinges on reaching more customers in China and in Europe, and lower oil prices could deter some there and in North America from switching to an electric car.