Persisting Decline in Tesla Sales Across European Markets Persists
Tesla Faces Significant Decline in European Market Share
Tesla, the leading electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, is experiencing a significant drop in new vehicle registrations across key European markets in 2025. This decline is attributed to a combination of factors, including fierce competition, ineffective product refreshes, supply chain issues, and operational challenges.
The data shows a notable decline in Tesla's new vehicle registrations across Europe. For instance, registrations dropped by 41.6% in July 2025 compared to the previous year, and are down 34.3% year-to-date through July. This decline is particularly evident in major markets such as Germany and France, where Tesla's sales have plummeted. In Germany, sales have fallen from over 60,000 units per year to around 20,000 units expected in 2025, and France registered a 27% plunge in July alone.
Tesla's introduction of a refreshed Model Y in March 2025 failed to deliver the anticipated sales increase. Registrations for the Model Y plunged 88% in Sweden and 49% in Denmark in July, while only Norway saw a sales boost linked to financial incentives. However, many of the recent Tesla registrations in Norway were for used models, not the newly updated Model Y variant.
The decline in Tesla's market share is also due to increased competition from Chinese and European brands. Chinese automaker BYD is outperforming Tesla in Europe, gaining market share and challenging Tesla’s earlier dominance. Volkswagen and other local manufacturers are also increasing EV sales with models like the VW ID.4 and newer entries such as the Kia EV3 and Renault 5, putting more pressure on Tesla.
Tesla initially attributed part of the decline to Model Y production ramp-up issues, but sales slumps continued beyond this, indicating deeper problems such as plant utilization or market positioning. While overall new car registrations in the EU declined slightly (−1.9%) in H1 2025, battery-electric vehicles increased their market share to 15.6%. Tesla’s declines contrast with this general trend, suggesting company-specific challenges rather than a lack of demand for EVs.
Despite the challenges, the demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in Europe is currently on the rise. Total BEV registrations in Germany increased by 53.5% in April 2025 compared to the same month the previous year. However, Tesla's registrations in the UK, Germany, France, Sweden, and other key European markets have shown significant declines.
The KBA (Federal Motor Transport Authority) of Germany provided the data on Tesla's vehicle registrations, showing that cumulative sales in Germany from January to April 2025 have decreased by 60.4% compared to the same period in the previous year, totaling 5,820 units. Similarly, Tesla's new vehicle registrations in the United Kingdom decreased by 62% in April 2025 compared to the same month last year.
In summary, Tesla’s decline in European vehicle registrations in 2025 is driven by intensified competition, ineffective product refreshes, regional supply or operational constraints, and failure to maintain its earlier market lead despite growing European EV demand.
