Tesla Inc. dropped just shy of its aim of delivering at least half a million vehicles after the coronavirus pandemic temporarily closed the company’s lone US car plant.The Silicon Valley electric-car maker said on Saturday that it delivered a record 499, 550 vehicles globally last year, up from approximately 367,500 the previous year. Analysts surveyed by FactSet on average estimated 493,000 Tesla deliveries in 2020. Tesla said it manufactured 509,737 vehicles last year.The company’s strength during the pandemic that has minimized road travel and damped auto sales globally has powered investor high spirits for the electric-car maker. Its stock surged over 700% last year.Chief Executive Elon Musk, via Twitter, hailed the figures as a “major milestone,” adding that during the primary days of Tesla he wasn’t sure that the company would make it-a sentiment he has previously expressed.