Tesla’s Europe sales collapse as anti-Musk backlash grows

Tesla's downward spiral is turning into a rout, with its share of European electric car sales falling by 58 percent in the first two months of this year, dropping from 18.4 percent in 2024 to 7.7 percent for the same period this year, according to data from JATO Dynamics, an auto consulting firm.

To add insult to injury, Chinese EV brands sold nearly 20,000 vehicles in Europe last month, far outpacing Tesla's 15,700 units.

The American EV company is facing a global backlash, fueled by ire at CEO Elon Musk and his actions as a key adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump.

In Europe, Germany is leading the charge in rejecting Tesla, which has one of its gigafactories outside Berlin. That's been fueled by a backlash against Musk after he spoke at a rally for the far-right Alternative for Germany party ahead of the February snap election.

More than 94 percent of respondents to a recent survey of 100,000 Germans said they would no longer buy a Tesla.

The steep fall in Tesla's market share comes as EV sales rebound; European electric car sales this February were 164,148, a 26 percent increase compared to the same month last year.

European brands make up the bulk of EV sales on the continent, but Chinese EV makers are gaining ground, despite the duties the Commission slapped on made-in-China electric vehicles last year.

BYD, the world's largest EV manufacturer, saw 4,400 vehicles registered in February, a 94 percent year-over-year increase.