Tesla sales have plummeted across Europe amid fears owner Elon Musk's political affiliations are causing motorists to turn away from the electric vehicle brand.
The latest sales data from across the continent show a staggering 59.5 per cent drop in new Tesla model sales in Germany last month compared to January 2024.
Data from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority showed Tesla sold 1,277 new vehicles, despite Germany being the only country in Europe with a manufacturing Gigafactory.
It is believed the Berlin factory can produce around 500,000 electric vehicles per year, with hopes this will be boosted to one million in the coming years.
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Many have suggested that Elon Musk could be the reason for falling Tesla sales
REUTERS
Tesla also saw a sales drop in France with the number of new registrations falling by 63 per cent, while Norway, which has the highest market share of electric vehicles in the world, saw sales drop 38 per cent.
Some industry analysts have put this down to Elon Musk's growing influence and political involvement in the United States, UK and Germany.
The founder and CEO of the brand has publicly thrown his support behind President Donald Trump, Reform UK and Alternative for Deutschland (AfD), which has been especially contentious with the German election just weeks away.
The South African-born businessman, who also owns social media platform X, SpaceX and Neuralink, has further stirred controversy with his actions, most notably when he appeared to perform a Nazi salute after Trump's inauguration. He refuted these claims, saying it was a "Roman salute".
Many accused Elon Musk of doing a Nazi salute after Donald Trump's inauguration
REUTERSFerdinand Dudenhöffer, director of the Center Automotive Research Institute in Germany, told AFP: "Nobody wants to be associated with it... Tesla and Musk are almost inextricably linked."
Even research from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows how Tesla sales dropped by 7.78 per cent in January compared to the same time last year.
While 1,458 Tesla models were sold in the UK in the first month of 2025, this is down 1,581 in the year prior, with the brand's market share falling from 1.11 per cent to 1.05 per cent.
While the drop in new registrations of electric vehicles can be put down to the public perception of Elon Musk, the French and German governments have amended their electric vehicle grants in recent months.
Anti-Musk protests have launched across Washington DC in recent days
REUTERS
Some have even gone as far as to call for drivers to boycott Tesla over Musk's actions, including Polish minister Sławomir Nitras who said Musk's comments about Nazi atrocities required a "strong response".
Nitras said "no normal Pole should buy a Tesla anymore" after Musk appeared at an AfD campaign event alongside leader Alice Weidel when Musk said Germany "focuses too much on past guilt".
Nitras called for a "strong and serious response" to the comments, adding that since Musk is "protected by his billions", he does not deal with the memories of the Nazi party and the Holocaust.
In January, Elon Musk responded to a post on X, saying that Tesla had the potential to be the largest company in the world by valuate "by a large margin".
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Elon Musk attracted criticism from a Polish minister regarding his comments about 'past guilt'
REUTERS
It came in response to a list of major companies and how they are valued. Tesla was in seventh place with a valuation of $1.3trillion (£1.04trillion), behind the likes of Meta, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia.
Some drivers have complained that Elon Musk is not focused enough on Tesla and is instead prioritising his political affiliations and his new role as leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
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