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Tesla electric vehicle sales have fallen sharply in many of Europe’s major markets amid consumer backlash against Elon Musk’s political activity and interference in local politics.
According to the German Federal Motor Transport Agency, the world’s largest EV manufacturer registered only 1,277 new vehicles in Germany in January. This was a 59% decrease compared to the same month last year. The country holds Tesla’s only manufacturing plant in Europe.
Last year, sales of electric vehicles in Germany and France slowed sharply last year after government subsidies were pulled back, but demand has recently begun to recover.
Tesla’s decline fell as Germany’s EV market rose more than 50% year-on-year in January, pushing market share from 14% to 4%.
In France, Tesla sales fell 63% in January, while Norway’s Tesla vehicle registrations fell 38%. In the UK, registrations have fallen by 8% from a year ago.
Automotive analyst Matthias Schmidt said one factor in Tesla’s decline in sales in Germany is consumers waiting for the upgrade Y model scheduled for the first half of 2025. However, other experts have denounced Musk’s backlash against political involvement.
Musk has been unprecedented intervention in German politics ahead of the federal election on February 23, becoming the richest and most powerful supporter of Germany’s far-right alternative (AFD).
The party, considered toxic by German business leaders and mainstream parties, has won support from X’s owners and a key aide to US President Donald Trump. The poll suggests that achieving a second-place finish in this month’s poll is on track.
Last month, Musk hosted AFD leader Alice Weidel on a social media platform, falsely claiming that Adolf Hitler is a socialist in a 75-minute debate.
While some party insiders questioned the wisdom of that debate, they also expressed hope that masks would enhance their appeal among voters, particularly some segments of young men.
Musk has garnered acute criticism from Prime Minister Olaf Scholz and his main rival, Christian Democrat leader Friedrich Merz for his support of the party seeking massive deportation of immigrants . Domestic intelligence agencies.
An entrepreneur in the southwest state of Baden-Württemberg told German media he was “completely overrunning” with the orders of stickers he produced for the Tesla owner. He said he received up to 2,000 orders per weekend.
Brussels officials have ordered the platform to step up investigation into the role of X since Musk’s intervention and hand over internal documents on recommended algorithms.
