Tesla sales in Europe plummet 49 per cent
Tesla sold 7,261 cars in Europe in April, which is 49% less compared to the same period last year. Such data was published by the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA).
Here's What We Know
ACEA statistics include data on new car sales in the EU, EFTA and the UK. It is indicative that Tesla's sharp drop occurred against the backdrop of an overall 27.8% increase in new car sales to 184,685 units. And electric car sales grew even more year-on-year, up 34.1 per cent.
The value and reputation of the Tesla brand has declined since 2024 largely due to the provocative rhetoric and political activity of CEO Elon Musk.
In Germany, Musk officially backed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the country's parliamentary elections earlier this year. Tesla has also clashed with Scandinavian trade union groups.
In the US, Musk spent nearly $300 million to re-elect US President Donald Trump and led the Trump administration's initiative to cut federal agencies.
The company this year launched an updated version of its Model Y crossover, but the overall vehicle lineup is still aging and no new mass-market offerings have been introduced to date.
At the same time, competition from both traditional automakers and aggressive Chinese companies is intensifying. Last week, there was even preliminary information that China's BYD sold more electric cars in Europe than Tesla for the first time.
That said, Musk himself recently said he would only step down as head of Tesla in the next five years if he died.
