Tesla Motors, the electric vehicle manufacturer led by Elon Musk, has reported its first monthly sales growth in Europe in over a year. Data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) shows that in February, new vehicle registrations for Tesla in the EU, UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland increased by nearly 12% year-on-year, reaching 17,664 units. New vehicle registrations serve as an indicator of sales volume. Within the EU alone, sales grew by 29% compared to the same period last year.
This figure indicates that despite several consecutive months of declining sales, Tesla remains a major competitor for European drivers seeking electric vehicles. According to ACEA data, Tesla had not experienced monthly growth in new vehicle registrations in Europe since December 2024.
Last year, the company faced consumer backlash due to Elon Musk's involvement with the administration of former US President Donald Trump. The billionaire oversaw the Department of Government Efficiency before leaving the administration in late May last year.
Meanwhile, competition from Chinese rival BYD has intensified in Europe. BYD offers a product line of electric and hybrid vehicles. Since ACEA began including BYD in its data last summer, the company's sales have surged monthly, indicating its emergence as a strong competitor to Tesla. BYD recently surpassed Tesla to become the world's largest seller of electric vehicles.
Last month, BYD's new vehicle registrations in Europe nearly tripled to 17,954 units, exceeding Tesla's figures. However, ACEA data shows that despite BYD's success and Tesla's sales recovery, European domestic automakers remain the region's sales leaders in absolute terms.
According to ACEA, last month, German automaker Volkswagen saw registrations increase by 2.2% to 256,452 units, while Jeep manufacturer Stellantis reported a 9.5% sales growth to 170,816 units. ACEA's data includes electric vehicles and other vehicle types.
In recent years, some automakers have had to reassess their product lineups and scale back electric vehicle production due to difficulties convincing drivers to switch to EVs. In February, Stellantis announced it would recognize approximately $26 billion in costs as it shifts focus to non-electric models, citing lower-than-expected demand.
Last month, the European pure electric vehicle market grew by nearly 16%. Registrations for hybrid vehicles increased by over 10%, while plug-in hybrid models saw a 33% rise in registrations.
ACEA reported that passenger car registrations across Europe rose by 1.7%, with a 1.4% increase within the EU. Germany's sales grew by 3.8%, while Italy recorded a 14% increase.
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