As the EV markets in the UK and Germany recover, Tesla's new car sales have plummeted

Despite the rising demand for EVs in the UK and Germany in April, Tesla's new car sales in these two countries plummeted to a two-year low, down 62% and 46% YoY, respectively.

On Tuesday (May 6), data released by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) showed that Tesla sold only 885 units in Germany in April, marking the fourth consecutive month of declining sales this year, with a YoY drop of 45.9%.

KBA data also revealed that Tesla sold a total of 5,820 units in Germany from January to April this year, down 60.4% YoY.

Meanwhile, the UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) also released its April report, showing that Tesla sold 512 new cars in the UK that month. In comparison, this figure was 1,352 units in April 2024, representing a YoY decline of over 62%.

Data from research firm New AutoMotive also indicated that Tesla's EV market share in the UK has dropped to 9.3%, significantly shrinking from 12.5% in the same period last year.

It is worth noting that, according to KBA data, Germany's overall car sales in April fell slightly by 0.2% YoY, while EV sales surged 53.5% against the trend. In the UK, EV registrations increased 8.1% YoY, but overall car sales declined 10.4%.

Other data released last week also showed that Tesla's sales in other major European markets have fallen to multi-year lows. These figures have raised further doubts about whether the launch of Tesla's new Model Y can change the company's fate in Europe.

Tesla's UK and German websites indicate that the new Model Y is expected to begin deliveries in June, but it will take several months to see if the new model can win back consumers from the sales data.

Media analysis suggests that Tesla CEO Elon Musk's close relationship with US President Donald Trump, his political stance, and efforts to cut US government spending have sparked protests in Europe and the US, with Tesla showrooms and charging stations experiencing multiple acts of vandalism.

Earlier reports claimed that Tesla's board had taken steps to identify a successor to Musk. However, Musk later denied this. Nevertheless, the information revealed that the board hopes Musk will devote more time to Tesla's work.

In addition to Musk's political actions alienating European consumers, Chinese EV brands have also gained more recognition and are seizing Tesla's market share.

KBA mentioned that Chinese EV manufacturer BYD's sales in Germany grew about 7.5 times to 1,566 units in April, with total sales since the beginning of this year increasing nearly 3.8 times to 2,791 units.