Tesla sales plummet in Germany after Elon Musk Nazi salute and AfD endorsement
Tesla sales have plunged in Germany over the past two months as its owner, Elon Musk, has become increasingly controversial
Tesla's sales in Germany continue to take a hit following Elon Musk's public endorsement of the country's far-right AfD party. Official data released on Wednesday revealed another decline last month, with only 1,429 Tesla electric vehicles registered in Europe's largest auto market in February, marking a year-on-year drop of over 76 percent, according to the KBA federal transport authority.
Barrons reported that Tesla's sales had already plummeted nearly 60 percent in January following Musk's foray into German politics. In the first two months of 2025, the company's sales in Germany decreased by 70 percent.
Musk's controversial behavior, including what was interpreted as a "Nazi" salute at President Trump's inauguration festivities, has sparked global concern. Amidst growing competition and consumer disapproval tied to its CEO's contentious political actions, Tesla appears to be losing its shine, as reported by the Express US.
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The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) garnered almost 21 percent of the vote in last month's election, bolstered by Musk's vocal support. Using his social media platform X, Musk claimed that only the far-right party could "save Germany".
However, numerous German business leaders and mainstream political parties generally regard the AfD as toxic, reports the Irish Star.
Sales of electric vehicles in Germany have taken a hit over the past year following the government's decision to withdraw a crucial subsidy program and a decrease in European demand for battery-powered cars. Interestingly, Tesla's continued sales decline stands in contrast to a recovery seen in the broader electric vehicle sector.
In February, approximately 36,000 battery-operated vehicles were registered in Germany, marking a 31 percent increase compared to the same month last year, as reported by Barrons. However, the total number of new vehicle registrations dropped to around 203,400, a 6.4 percent decrease from the previous month.
Tesla also saw a significant drop in sales in Scandinavia and France in February compared to the previous year, resulting in a loss of market share. Despite topping sales charts in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark in 2023 and 2024, the company has fallen behind competitors with newer models, such as Volkswagen, this year.
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On a brighter note, Tesla's sales in the UK increased by over a fifth, with more than 4,000 units sold in February. The Model 3 and Model Y were the second and third most popular models after the Mini Cooper, according to the latest new car registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Year on year, Tesla sales rose by 20.7%, boosting the company's market share from 3.75% in February 2024 to 4.6% last month. This suggests that Musk's actions have not yet negatively impacted the electric vehicle manufacturer in the UK, as reported by the Guardian.
Despite a dip in sales in the US in January, preliminary data for February suggests a bounce back with approximately 42,000 cars sold, marking a 14% increase year on year, as per Wards Intelligence. However, Musk's political maneuvers have sparked backlash domestically, leading to numerous protests against his disruptive influence in Washington.
Critics of both Trump and Musk are attempting to dissuade and stigmatize Tesla purchases. Over the weekend, around 300 protesters convened at a Tesla dealership in New York City.
Police confirmed that nine individuals were arrested, but did not disclose the charges. The website Tesla Takedown reported over 50 protests on Saturday alone.
More demonstrations are scheduled throughout March across the United States, as well as in England, Spain, and Portugal. Since Trump took office, Tesla's share price has plummeted nearly a third, but Musk remains undeterred.
There have even been instances of some Tesla owners trying to rebrand their vehicles with Toyota, Mazda, Honda, and Audi badges to avoid vandalism associated with Elon Musk. Photos of Teslas with modified logos have been shared by Reddit users, possibly indicating owners' attempts to distance themselves from Musk following an uptick in vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles.
