Germans snub Tesla as CEO Musk’s political activities cause backlash for US carmaker

Enthusiasm for Tesla purchases has waned considerably in Germany in the wake of the political activities of the US car company’s CEO, Elon Musk, according to market research data seen by business daily Handelsblatt. In August 2024, when Tesla CEO Musk intensified his support of US president Donald Trump and increasingly voiced support for far-right parties in Germany and other European countries, 31 percent of potential car buyers in Germany were still considering the brand, figures from market researcher Caliber showed. The share dropped nearly half to 16 percent when Trump took office in January and only recovered slightly in February. Musk’s political interventions are linked to the decline of the brand image among potential customers, the research firm said. “The correlation cannot be overlooked,” said Caliber boss Shahar Silbershatz.

Tesla's sales in Germany have declined significantly. Figures released by Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) showed that Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) registrations rose 41 percent in Germany in January and February 2025 to 17 percent of all registrations. Germany’s largest carmaker Volkswagen accounted for 16,521 new BEV registrations, while Tesla followed far behind with 2,706 newly registered cars. In January and February 2024, the respective figures for Volkswagen were 4,288 new BEV and 9,190 new registrations for Tesla. The Tesla sales decline has not only been attributed to Musk's political involvement, but also to an upcoming model overhaul, as the company is currently launching a new version of its Model Y in Europe.