European car buyers have continued to shun Tesla electric cars, with the company’s sales plummeting by 49% in January and February compared to the same period in 2024. The decline is largely attributed to the company’s aging models, but also partly due to the recent controversy surrounding the electric vehicle maker’s billionaire owner, Elon Musk.
Musk, who is also a key supporter of US President Donald Trump, has been at the forefront of a cost-cutting drive at the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This move has sparked outrage, leading to the vandalism of several Tesla dealerships across the United States and a significant slump in the company’s stock price over the past month.
According to data from the ACEA manufacturers’ association, new Tesla registrations in the European Union fell to 19,046 in the first two months of the year, giving the company a mere 1.1% market share. In February alone, registrations declined by 47% to 11,743.
Despite the overall electric vehicle market experiencing a 28.4% growth in the first two months of the year, with 255,489 registrations and a 15.2% EU market share, Tesla’s struggles have raised concerns about the industry’s transition to zero-emission mobility. ACEA Director General, Sigrid de Vries, emphasized the need for tax incentives and investments in recharging stations to boost demand for battery electric vehicles.
Meanwhile, hybrid-electric vehicles maintained their position as the largest market segment, with 594,059 registrations, translating to a 35.2% market share. Petrol and diesel models trailed behind, with market shares of 29.1% and 9.7%, respectively, in February.
