Tesla sales drop in Germany amid Musk backlash
(FILES) Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk looks on ahead of the inauguration ceremony where Donald Trump will sworn in as the 47th US President in the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC, on 20 January 2025. US President Donald Trump said in remarks airing on 9 February 2025, that Musk, who is presiding over a purge of US government jobs, will help find "hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud" in federal agencies.
AFP
Tesla’s sales in Germany continued to decline in March, even as the broader electric vehicle (EV) market showed signs of recovery.
Data from the KBA federal transport authority revealed that only 2,229 Tesla EVs were registered last month, a 43 percent decrease from the same period in 2024.
In contrast, overall EV registrations in Germany increased by 35.5 percent year-on-year, marking a rebound from the low levels seen earlier in 2024. However, the downturn in Tesla's sales follows a broader trend of slower EV sales in Germany last year, exacerbated by the end of government subsidies and a weak economic environment.
Tesla’s global sales have also been affected, with CEO Elon Musk facing growing criticism over his involvement in US political decisions and factory upgrades. The backlash has been particularly strong in Germany, where Musk’s vocal support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party sparked controversy.
Some German Tesla owners have even displayed protest stickers on their cars, with reports of arson attacks on Teslas in Berlin and Dresden. Protests against the company have also taken place.
Overall, new vehicle registrations in Germany fell 3.9 percent in March to 253,497, signaling continued weakness in the market. Additionally, German automakers are facing new challenges, including the impact of U.S. tariffs on car imports.