Owning a Tesla was once the ultimate status symbol for the environmentally conscious, forward-thinking, tech-savvy crowd. Now? Not so much. Thanks to CEO Elon Musk‘s recent political stances and public behavior, Tesla has found itself in an awkward free fall—both in sales and in public perception.
The numbers tell the story. In January, Tesla’s sales in France plummeted by 63.4 percent, Germany saw a 59.5 percent drop, and even the United Kingdom, a slightly more forgiving market, reported a 12 percent decline, according to EV Magazine, a specialized publication on electric vehicles.
Musk’s once-coveted electric vehicles, which were practically a prerequisite for Silicon Valley parking lots, are now being ditched for alternatives like BMW’s iX and Polestar models.
Newsweek reached out to Tesla’s press team for comment.
Tesla Owners Are Getting Creative
Musk’s public persona has transformed from eccentric billionaire genius to an internet provocateur with a penchant for aligning himself with conservative figures. His support for President Donald Trump during the 2024 election and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has been labeled a far-right extremist organization, has not played well in Europe.
With sales declining in some of the most important markets in Europe, it turns out that endorsing a party that thrives on nationalist rhetoric, unlike in the U.S., doesn’t exactly sell well in places like France, Spain, and Germany, where the wounds of history remain fresh.
Also, not only is he serving as a “free speech” advocate, turning Twitter into X, but he’s also championing deep budget cuts as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), targeting institutions that many liberals hold dear.
Disillusioned Tesla owners are getting creative. Bumper stickers on Etsy reading, “I Bought This Before We Knew Elon Was Crazy” and “Anti-Elon Tesla Club” are trending, with both selling in the thousands. As one former enthusiast bluntly said to WIRED, driving a Tesla in certain circles today “feels like wearing a MAGA hat on wheels.”
Competitors Are Having a Field Day
The EV market is changing, and Tesla is no longer the untouchable behemoth it once was. Volvo’s EX30 is flying off the shelves, Chinese BYD’s presence in Europe has surged by 550 percent, and Volkswagen has posted a 20 percent jump in EV sales. Meanwhile, Tesla’s European market share continues to shrink, with overall sales in the region down 50.4 percent year-over-year.
To make matters worse, Tesla’s product lineup is getting outdated according to insiders. While competitors are churning out sleek new models with cutting-edge features, Tesla hasn’t introduced a new vehicle in Europe since the Model Y in 2021. As Philip Nothard, an automotive industry strategist, put it: “It’s looking a little bit samey.”
Stocks Nosedive
Beyond the numbers in France, Germany and the U.K., the trend continued across Europe, with Tesla registrations slumping over 40 percent in the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, according to electric vehicle-focused outlet Electrek, with Spain seeing the steepest decline of 75 percent.
Australia’s Electric Vehicle Council reported that Tesla’s overall sales fell 33 percent year-on-year in January, while in China, Tesla’s second-largest market behind the U.S., sales were down 11 percent over the same period, and down 33 percent from December, according to the China Passenger Car Association.
Tesla’s fourth-quarter results, released in late January, came in below analysts’ estimates. While overall revenue saw a slight increase, operating income dropped 23 percent year-over-year to $1.6 billion. Additionally, Tesla’s 1.8 million deliveries for the year marked the first annual decline in the company’s history.
“Boycott”
Tesla’s image is taking a severe beating. European activists have gone as far as projecting an image of Musk’s controversial salute onto Tesla’s Berlin Gigafactory, complete with the word “Heil” next to the illuminated Tesla logo.
Two left-wing activist groups, Led By Donkeys from the United Kingdom and Germany’s Center for Political Beauty, claimed responsibility for the projection on X, formerly Twitter.
Another message, displaying the word “Boycott” alongside the Tesla logo, was also projected onto the factory headquarters.
Vandalism against Tesla vehicles and showrooms is on the rise, with dealerships in multiple countries being defaced with graffiti condemning Musk.
Even some Tesla shareholders are calling for a leadership shake-up. Karen Róbertsdóttir, a long-time Tesla investor from Iceland, expressed frustration over Musk’s impact on the company.
“I’ve defended you guys so much over the years, and you make great products, but even I can’t stick up for you anymore,” she stated on Tesla’s YouTube channel.
And the financial repercussions are starting to stack up. Tesla’s stock, which surged following Trump’s 2024 election victory, has since taken a 13 percent nosedive over the past month. Some analysts are already whispering about a “Musk discount”—a phenomenon where his controversial public persona is actively dragging down the company’s valuation.
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