Skoda overtakes Tesla in Europe as EV buyers reject Elon Musk

Tesla’s grip on the European electric vehicle market is loosening and fast. For the first time, Volkswagen-owned Skoda has outsold the US EV giant in monthly sales across Europe, according to new data.

Figures from research firm DataForce show Tesla’s sales in May dropped by 28% year-on-year to 14,055 units. In contrast, Skoda sold 14,920 electric vehicles, led by the strong performance of its newly launched Elroq SUV, which alone accounted for 9,250 units. Tesla’s UK and Europe registrations have now fallen for five consecutive months.

The shift comes amid growing consumer resistance to Tesla, driven by backlash over Elon Musk’s public support for Donald Trump and other right-wing political leaders. Activist protests and lawsuits have emerged across Europe, with French drivers suing Tesla and labelling the brand as a symbol of the “extreme Right.”

Despite Europe’s EV market growing by 27.2% in May with 193,493 vehicles sold Tesla is bucking the trend. Its UK sales fell 36%, while the broader market soared by nearly 26%. Meanwhile, Chinese rival BYD surged forward, selling 3,025 units of its Dolphin Surf, a more than 400% increase from the previous month.

Globally, Tesla reported a 13% drop in Q1 sales its worst quarter since 2022. Investors are watching closely, with the company’s share price down 10% year-to-date, though some losses were recovered after Musk distanced himself from White House politics.

While Musk bets big on full autonomy, launching a robotaxi service in Austin and developing a humanoid robot called Optimus, it remains to be seen whether technology alone can repair Tesla’s fractured reputation in its second-largest market.

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