April 1 (Reuters) - Tesla's TSLA.O first-quarter deliveries are expected to be lower than in the December quarter as the electric-vehicle maker struggles with uneven demand and intensifying competition in key markets.

The Elon Musk-led EV maker is expected to report deliveries before the markets open on Thursday.

• Analysts polled by Visible Alpha expect Tesla to deliver about 368,900 vehicles in the January–March period, representing a sequential decline of 11.8% but growth of 9.6% from a year earlier, when a major backlash against Musk's far-right political rhetoric hurt sales

• The average of 23 estimates compiled by Tesla is 365,645 units

• Intensifying competition in Europe and China and the expiry of a $7,500 federal tax credit in the U.S. on EV purchases in September weigh on demand

• While Wall Street estimates still point to modest growth this year, sentiment has shifted notably in recent months, with some analysts expecting a decline

• Analysts expect deliveries of 1.7 million vehicles this year, and 1.84 million units in 2027, according to Visible Alpha data

• Tesla is increasingly shifting its focus beyond electric vehicles, placing bets on solar energy, humanoid robots, and autonomous robotaxis as the next pillars of its business.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Anil D'Silva)

((Akash.Sriram@thomsonreuters.com; On X as @HoodieOnVeshti; +91-99017-77617;))