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Sales of Tesla cars in Europe went into freefall in January, down -45.3% to 9,945 cars, compared to 18,161 the prior year with market share falling to 1% from 1.8%.
The total market fell by just -2.6% for January, according to figures from the European carmakers’ association ACEA.
The move was interpreted by some as a negative kick back from political interventions by Tesla owner Elon Musk in politics in both the US and Europe but it is also apparent the pressure the brand is coming from Chinese competitors who delivered strong performances in January. Tesla is also gearing up for the upcoming model change over for its Model Y.
In January 2025, new battery-electric car sales grew by 34% to 124,341 units, capturing a 15% market share.
In January, new EU registrations of hybrid-electric cars increased by 18.4%, boosted by
significant growth in the four biggest markets: France (+52.2%), Spain (+23.5%), Germany (+13.7%), and Italy (+10.6%).
Registrations of plug-in hybrid electric cars declined in January 2025, dropping by 8.5% to 61,406 units.
In January 2025, petrol car registrations saw a significant decline of 18.9%, with all major markets showing decreases. Similarly, the diesel car market declined by 27%.