Early car sales data for January is starting to arrive from countries across the pond, and they paint an alarming picture for Tesla. Sales are crashing in France, Germany, and the UK—all affluent countries that are key markets for Tesla’s electric vehicles. Coming on the heels of a large financial miss, it’s just one more problem for the automaker.
Tesla sales dropped around 13 percent across Europe in 2024, but so far this year, the scale of the problem is far greater. In France, sales of new Teslas fell by 63 percent, while total car sales in the country fell by just 6 percent, with EV sales dropping just half a percent.
Germany was already looking like lost ground for Tesla—its 41 percent drop in 2024 accounted for most of Tesla’s lost sales across Europe. That must make the 59 percent drop in German Tesla sales recorded during January even more painful on the profit and loss statements.
Across the Channel, the British auto industry just released its sales data for January. Here, Tesla sales fell less precipitously—just 12 percent. However, battery EV sales were 35 percent higher in the UK in January 2025 than in January 2024. The cake is growing, but Tesla is getting to eat less and less of it.
In fact, no Tesla cracked the UK’s top 10 best-seller list last month, something that has regularly happened in the past, although that may be due to having just two models for >sale in most markets.
Large declines have also been recorded in Sweden (44 percent), Norway (38 percent), and the Netherlands (42 percent).
Its investment in the Cybertruck is of no help in the region, as the steel-clad pickup truck is too large and heavy for use with a normal driver’s license and does not conform to road legality regulations.
I was not aware of this. Further reasons to laugh at Musk are always welcome!
This sparks joy.
Honestly people would have to be basically mad to buy tesla now, same with twitter etc.
I sympathise with people who starlink is the only option but yeah I’d rather go without.
I recently bought a camper van and was planning on getting starlink so I can work from the road (not full time). I guess I’ll have to make sure I’m not off the beaten path on work days and stick to Hotspot.
Gimme cheap, simple and reliable EV with guaranteed 200km range and I’m sold. I don’t need bazillion of cameras inside and out, I don’t need glass roof, I don’t need 200kW of ridiculous power I would never use, I don’t need always online maps for a subscription fee and I don’t need 20" infotainment, neither I need 3 zone AC with ventilated seats and ballsack massage device, etc. I just want a Dacia of EV market.
Dacia Spring. You’re welcome.
The fiat 500 e fits all that and it’s a delight to drive.
Ballsack massage device you say…
Microlino, Fiat panda grande, Renault 5, Citroën Ami and others. The smaller and more affordable versions are getting there.
Any of those in the US market?
I’ve only seen Rivians and Teslas in my parts.
You’ve probably seen a lot more electric vehicles than you realize. Almost every big manufacturer has them in their lineups at this point, just most of them are looking more and more conventional.
Take a look at the Honda Prologue, the Toyota BZ4X, the Kia Niro EV6 or EV9, Hyundai Ioniq line and Kona Ford Mach E, Chevy Equinox EV or Blazer EV.
There’s also EV versions the F150, Chevy Silverado, and Hummer. Supposedly RAM will have an EV truck soon, too.
Granted there are fewer compact sizes than in European markets, but that’s true of all vehicles, regardless of powertrain
Chevy Bolt, except it was discontinued so now nothing…
So Dacia Spring?
Good news everyone!
Coincidentlaly, throwing all this junk out makes EV’s significantly lighter. And theoretically cheaper.
They kinda suffer from “the tyranny of the rocket equation” since so much of their mass is “fuel.” Make it lighter, and they need less battery for the same range, which means you need even less battery to carry that battery around, lighter motors, less chassis and suspension weight for that, which removes even more battery, and so on.
This is not the case with combustion cars, where much of the engine’s mass is fixed and gasoline takes up little weight.
The Aptera coming out follows this principle. It’s the only EV that’s light enough that the onboard solar panels contribute a significant boost in range.
Do you know where it’s at? It was supposed to come to US by 2022, and I’m wondering about Europe…
Fully solid-state batteries are just around the corner - some Chinese models already have a semi-solid-state battery, MG are releasing one this year, companies like Toyota and Honda are working on it too. The current use case is to extend range (600+ miles / 1000+ kms) but they could also be used to get similar range as today’s cars with a much lighter battery.
Let’s get to 95% down in Q1 of 2025.
Biggest decline in my country is because lease companies don’t like them in their fleet anymore; Musk has just randomly reduced prices in the past, making it difficult to estimate the remaining value at the end of the lease term. On the other hand business drivers used to have a generous tax exemption when driving an EV, which has been cut by our government. These drivers may now be better of driving an ICE. All in all this reduces the market share of Tesla drastically, since Tesla’s are almost exclusively used as company lease cars.
Tusk should take a lesson from Volkswagen
You mean not be nazi?
Pretty tall order, can’t expect that in 2025.
Exactly
Not sure what you’re trying to say here. You realize VW was founded by Nazis?
Yeah, and after World War II, they nearly went out of business and took decades to recover the reputation.
Since I guess I have to spell it out: doing business with Nazis is bad for business.
They recovered their reputation?
Porsche family is a key shareholder in VW and they are straight up nazi nepo babies
Never forget!
I believe Hugo Boss supplied the SS suits too…
