Tesla’s April 2025 performance in Europe has taken a nosedive, with the electric vehicle maker suffering massive sales declines across several major markets. The data paints a troubling picture for Elon Musk’s EV brand, already grappling with rising Chinese competition and political backlash across the continent.
In Sweden, Tesla’s new car registrations fell by 80.7% in April compared to a year earlier, according to official figures from Mobility Sweden. The sharp fall marks Tesla’s worst month in Sweden since October 2022, when just 43 new vehicles were registered.
That wasn’t an isolated incident. Just a day earlier, Danish data showed a 67.2% decline, while France reported a 59.4% drop, marking the fourth consecutive month of declining Tesla sales in the country.
These figures confirm a deepening trend that began earlier this year. In March, Tesla’s overall European sales slumped 28.2%, and the latest data suggests the drop is accelerating.
What’s driving the plunge?
Several converging factors are undermining Tesla’s momentum in Europe:
- Rising competition from Chinese EV makers like BYD and Nio, who are rapidly gaining market share with lower-cost, feature-rich models.
- Traditional European automakers, such as Volkswagen and Renault, are ramping up their own EV offerings, often priced more competitively than Tesla’s.
- Political fallout: Elon Musk’s outspoken support of far-right policies in Europe has sparked growing consumer backlash, including protests and vandalism of Tesla showrooms and Supercharger stations.
- In Germany, activists from the group Neue Generation staged a protest outside a Berlin Tesla store this week, waving anti-Musk placards and calling for boycotts.
Tesla’s shrinking presence in some of its strongest international markets poses a serious challenge to the brand’s global growth strategy, especially as the U.S. also grapples with economic uncertainty and trade tensions.
Looking ahead
Additional April sales data from Italy and Norway is expected shortly, which may further illuminate the scale of Tesla’s European slump. While short-term stock moves have been relatively muted — TSLA was down 0.58% at close Thursday — the medium-term implications for Tesla’s valuation and European strategy are profound.
The company has not issued a formal response to the European data yet, but Elon Musk recently said he plans to scale back political involvement and return focus to Tesla operations. Whether that move will be enough to mend Tesla’s reputation on the continent remains to be seen.
