Tesla’s European Sales Plummet in April, Marking Four Months of Decline

Europeans are still buying more electric cars due to strict emissions regulations and lower prices. However, Tesla is facing competition from Chinese rivals and changes in consumer sentiment.

Tesla's sales in Europe plunged 49% year-on-year in April, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA). This marked the fourth consecutive month of decline in Tesla's sales, and its market share almost halved from 1.3% to 0.7%.

Tesla's sales plunge suggests that its upgraded Model Y has failed to boost the company's brand image. Tesla's brand image is under pressure due to increased market competition and strong opposition to the political views of Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

In contrast, other automakers, especially Chinese and Japanese automakers, performed well. Registrations of Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC and Japan's Mitsubishi Motors increased by 24.5% and 22.1%, respectively, according to ACEA.

European Car Sales Decline for Fourth Consecutive Month

After a 2.8% increase in March, overall car sales in the EU, UK and EFTA fell slightly by 0.3% to 1.07 million units.

Looking at data from the EU (excluding the UK and EFTA), total car sales fell by 1.2% year-on-year in April, falling for the fourth consecutive month.

Demand for electric vehicles continues to grow in Europe. In April, electric vehicle registrations accounted for 59.2% of total passenger car registrations, up from 47.7% in the same period last year.

Different types of electric vehicles grew at different rates. Registrations of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) rose by 26.4%, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) by 7.8% and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) by 20.8%.

Among the major EU markets, sales in Spain and Italy rose by 7.1% and 2.7% respectively, while sales in France and Germany fell by 5.6% and 0.2% respectively.