Tesla's UK car sales slump over 45% in May amid political backlash

Tesla’s car sales in the UK plummeted by over 45% in May 2025, as growing political backlash and stronger competition impact the brand’s market share despite a booming electric vehicle sector.

Tesla’s UK car sales fell sharply in May, dropping more than 45% year-on-year to 1,758 vehicles from 3,244 a year earlier, according to preliminary data from New AutoMotive. The decline comes despite a broader rise in the British car market, where overall new registrations grew 4.3% to 144,098 units during the same period.

The sharp drop is being partially attributed to political controversies surrounding Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Analysts and industry observers suggest his polarising public stance on various issues may have dampened consumer sentiment across European markets.

Despite the dip, Tesla remains the UK’s best-selling battery electric vehicle (BEV) brand for the year to date. However, its dominance is increasingly being challenged by rivals, particularly Chinese carmaker BYD, which more than doubled its UK sales to 1,388 units in May.

The broader UK electric vehicle segment showed resilience, with BEV sales rising 28% year-on-year. Yet Tesla’s performance in Europe continues to raise concern, with the company also reporting significant losses in other countries—sales fell 53.7% in Sweden and 68% in Portugal.

In a bid to reverse these trends, Tesla recently launched a refreshed Model Y in Norway, where sales surged by 213%. The updated model is expected to roll out in additional European markets in the coming weeks, potentially boosting performance in the region.

At the close of the latest trading session, Tesla’s share price stood at $344.27, marking a slight increase of 0.45%.

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