Tesla’s EU Sales Plunge 46% In April

Tesla might be trying to stay optimistic, but the numbers out of Europe are telling a different story—and it’s not a pretty one. Despite Elon Musk’s confidence, the brand is clearly having a tough time keeping up momentum overseas.

According to early figures from Dataforce shared by Automotive News Europe, Tesla’s European sales dropped by over 38% through April. That’s a slide from more than 101,000 vehicles last year to just over 62,000 this year. The bad news doesn’t stop there.

Zoom in on April alone, and the picture gets even bleaker: sales fell nearly in half, down 46.2% year-over-year. The low-volume Model S and Model X barely moved the needle, combining for only 69 units sold last month—a 69% drop from the year before. The best-selling Model Y hasn’t been spared either. Even with its refreshed version hitting the market, it tumbled from 9,704 units in April 2023 to just 4,743 this April, a 51% freefall.

Tesla had warned that some sales decline was expected during the production shift from the old Model Y to the new one. That transition is already done, meaning the drop isn’t just about factory downtime. Model Y sales in the EU, UK, and EFTA region are down nearly 50% so far this year. Meanwhile, Model 3 sales aren’t faring much better, slipping 35% last month compared to April 2023.

What really twists the knife? It’s not like the whole market is crashing—far from it. While Tesla’s numbers are tanking, the overall European car market barely moved in April, dipping just 0.3%. Electrified vehicles are actually on the rise. Battery EV sales jumped 28%, hybrids climbed 16%, and plug-in hybrids weren’t far behind with a 12% boost. Meanwhile, the traditional gas and diesel crowd are slowly fading into the background.

Whether it's pricing, competition, brand perception, or a mix of all three, something’s clearly off—and the Tesla board might not be as patient as Musk if the trend continues. We’ll be watching closely to see how they respond.