Tesla sales crash in Germany and China in major blow for Musk | World | News
Tesla car sales have nose dived in two of the company’s key markets, new data for February shows. In Germany, the company delivered only 1,429 new cars in February, down 76% compared to the same month last year, when 6,000 vehicles were delivered.
This follows on from disappointing results in January, with sales down by 59.5% from the same month last year. Overall, Tesla sales in Germany are down 70% for the year to date, as car drivers seemingly turn their backs on the brand. The downturn could be connected to Elon Musk‘s controversial support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party.
Tesla’s chief executive threw his full support behind the party during the country’s recent federal elections, causing outrage in Germany.
In a tweet to his X social media channel, Musk urged Germans to go out and vote for the far-right party.
“Only AfD can save Germany, end of story, and people really need to get behind AfD, and otherwise things are going to get very, very much worse in Germany,” he wrote.
Previously, Tesla had been flying high in the German market, with the company becoming the best-selling electric car brand in 2022.
Musk’s support for AfD prompted Polish Tourism Minister Sławomir Nitras to call for a boycott of the EV brand. “There is no justification for any reasonable Pole to continue purchasing Teslas. A serious and strong response is necessary, including a consumer boycott,” he said in January.
Across Europe, Tesla sales have been plummeting, down roughly 50% compared to last year.
Some of the worst affected markets include France, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
The downward trend in sales is also evident in China, which was the second largest market for the company in 2023.
The company delivered 30,688 Shanghai-made Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, representing a 51.5% drop from January and a 49.2% decline year-over-year.
This figure marks Tesla’s lowest sales in China since July 2022, when it delivered 28,217 vehicles.
The overall electric vehicle market in China experienced a 3% decline in deliveries from January, with 720,000 units sold in February.
