Tesla’s new car sales in Spain fell 36% in April to just 571 vehicles year-over-year, Reuters reports. That slump comes as sales of electric cars made by other brands rose in the Iberian country.
Tesla sales in Spain mirror those in Europe generally, which plunged in the first four months of the year by 37.2%, even as sales of fully-electric vehicles rose 28% on the continent. Some countries saw steeper losses than others. For example, Sweden’s Tesla sales dropped 81% to their lowest level in nearly three years.
Tesla’s poor sales outcome in Europe comes as some buyers protest CEO Elon Musk’s swing into right-wing politics and closeness with President Donald Trump, whose tariffs have resulted in global economic instability. Europeans are also increasingly buying more Chinese EVs, including those from Tesla rival BYD.
Tesla sales have also dropped in the U.S., resulting in soft demand for the automaker’s new Model Y, according to Electrek. Tesla has begun offering discounts on the new model that was meant to re-spark weakening demand.
In a search for new markets, the automaker has recently pushed into Saudi Arabia and began testing the waters in India, despite the challenge a lack of charging infrastructure in the two countries.
