Tesla’s sales in Europe have fallen behind Volkswagen, BMW, and even Chinese brands in February, according to data from research platform JATO Dynamics, as reported by Reuters.
Tesla, led by Elon Musk, is facing a tough challenge in Europe. Musk’s political support for far-right parties on his X platform, including backing Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland, has caused some issues. These political stances, combined with growing competition in the electric vehicle (EV) market and the phase-out of the popular Model Y, have impacted Tesla’s sales, according to Felipe Munoz, Global Analyst at JATO Dynamics.
“Brands like Tesla, which have a relatively limited model lineup, are particularly vulnerable to registration declines when undertaking a model changeover,” Munoz said, according to Reuters.
Tesla’s electric vehicle sales in February fell by 44% compared to the same month in 2024, with fewer than 16,000 cars sold in 25 European Union markets, the UK, Norway, and Switzerland. This dropped its market share to 9.6%, the lowest it’s been in February in the past five years.
In contrast, Volkswagen’s electric vehicle sales grew by 180%, reaching nearly 20,000 cars. BMW, along with its Mini brand, combined to sell almost 19,000 electric cars in February. Chinese brands also saw strong sales, surpassing Tesla.
Polestar’s electric car sales were up by 94% and 84%, selling over 4,000 and 2,000 cars, respectively. Other Chinese brands like Xpeng and Leapmotor also performed well, with over 1,000 and almost 900 sales, respectively.
Overall, car sales in 25 European Union markets, along with the UK, Norway, and Switzerland, fell by 3% to 0.97 million in February. However, electric vehicle registrations were up by 25%.
