Tesla has a problem in Europe. In fact, you could say that Europe has a problem with Tesla. Regardless, the latest registration figures show that the electric car market on the Old Continent is down compared to last year.
But this decline, on closer inspection, is mainly attributable to the drop in volumes recorded by the company led by Elon Musk.
Tesla tips the scales
In November alone, Tesla delivered 26,200 vehicles in Europe (including EFTA countries and the UK). In the same month of 2023, it had delivered 10,000 more. This is a drop of 28.4%. But it gets worse: since the start of the year, the American brand's cars sold in our part of the world total 282,700. Last year, Tesla reached 327,600.
This represents a drop of 13.7%. The situation could have been even worse if Tesla had not lowered prices and increased production of the Model Y at the Berlin factory. But why is Tesla a problem for Europe?
Photo : Car News China
Tesla Model Y Juniper: rendered by SugarDesign
Indeed, overall figures for electric car sales on the Old Continent show a contraction of 1.4%, but if we remove Tesla from the equation, the figures are up 1.3%. In summary, other manufacturers generally sold more than last year, but Tesla's contraction “hides” this trend.
- Growth of the electric car market in Europe with Tesla: -1.4% (January-November 2024)
- Growth of the electric car market in Europe without Tesla: +1.3% (January-November 2024)
Photo : InsideEVs
Tesla Robovan et Cybercab
The Model Y abandons the scepter of bestseller
Tesla is therefore beginning to come under attack from increasingly fierce competition. How to catch up? Hard to say. Perhaps with the arrival of the two new affordable models expected in 2025, things will change. But will they really arrive? And then: are they a priority for the company? Elon Musk seems to want to make a difference on autonomous driving and artificial intelligence more than on the number of cars sold. Is this the right path to follow?
While waiting to find the answers to all these questions, one thing is now certain: The Tesla Model Y will not be confirmed as the best-selling car in Europe. In 2024, the first in terms of registered units will be the Dacia Sandero, which finished in an honorable second place in 2023 and whose lead now seems insurmountable for all the others. The restyling of the electric SUV could, however, reverse the trend.
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