In 2022, Tesla was the best -selling electric car brand in Germany. Meanwhile, according to the data of the Federal Motor Transport Office in Germany (KBA), in Only 1277 new Tesla vehicles were registered in Januarywhich means a drop in sales by 59.5 percent. compared to January a year ago.
And as the data shows, this decrease does not result from the general reduction in consumers’ interest in electric vehicles. It is true that over the past year the popularity of electric cars has decreased, mainly due to the withdrawal of government subsidies, but the latest data show a clear improvement.
According to KBA data General sales of vehicles powered by batteries of all brands increased by 53.5 percent.
What has changed?
As Deutsche Welle reminds, in December Musk openly supported the far -right German Alternative to Germany (AfD) and its leader Alice Weidel. This caused controversy and concerns about the possibility unlawful mixing and influence on early electionswhich will take place at the end of this month.
Musk did not limit himself to the support of the AfD. He also criticized German management. PGerman resident Frank-Walter Steinmeier heard from Musk that he is a “anti-democratic tyrant“. Also the chancellor Olaf Scholz was thrown by insults. In addition, during the inauguration of the US President Donald Trump, the multimilizer made a gesture reminiscent of Nazi salut.
It all caused, to put it mildly, a big disgust. DW quotes the statement of Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, director of the Automotive Research Center in Germany, for the AFP press agency, in which he stated that the behavior of President Tesla was “extremely harmful”. “Nobody wants to be associated with it … Tesla and Musk are almost inseparable from each other,” said AFP Dudenhöffer.
Tesla sales are not only in Germany
According to Reuters, In January, Tesla recorded a decrease in sales in five European countries. The reasons for these declines can be seen in the fact that competitors with newer models gained an advantage over the slightly outdated Tesla. However, this is not the only reason. Surveys show that for the same reasons as in Germany, Elon Musk is badly perceived by public opinion also in these countries.
The sale of Tesla in Great Britain fell in January by almost 12 percent, despite the fact that the monthly number of electric vehicles registration on the largest European electric vehicle market reached a record level, according to data published by New Automotive.
Tesla recorded much larger decreases in other countries of the Old Continent. In France, the January decrease in the sale of Tesla cars was at 63 percent, in Sweden (44 percent), Norway (38 percent) and in the Netherlands (42 percent).
The information comes from Deutsche Welle, Reuters, AFP
