Tesla’s UK Sales Crash As European Buyers Flock To Cheaper EV Rivals; Retail Sentiment Turns ‘Extremely Bearish’

• Tesla’s UK registrations dropped to 495 in October from 1,013 a year earlier, mirroring declines in Spain, the Netherlands, and Nordic markets.
• EU registrations fell 18.6% in September and 39% year-to-date, cutting Tesla’s market share to 1.4% even as overall BEV demand rose 20%.
• Tesla’s global deliveries hit a record 497,099 vehicles in the third quarter, up 7.4% year-on-year, driven by U.S. buyers rushing to secure cars before a federal EV tax credit expired on Sept. 30.

Tesla Inc.’s UK car sales plunged 51% year-over-year in October, with just 495 new registrations compared to 1,013 a year earlier.

The decline mirrors sharp falls in Spain, the Netherlands, and Nordic markets, where the company’s aging lineup is losing appeal against newer and cheaper models from legacy automakers and Chinese rivals, Reuters reported.

Overall, British car registrations fell 17.7% to 121,896 units in October, according to research group New AutoMotive. The drop was compounded by a major cyberattack on Jaguar Land Rover, which shuttered its UK plants for nearly six weeks before partially resuming production earlier in the month.

EU Registrations Drop Despite Industry Growth

Tesla’s car registrations in the European Union fell 18.6% to 25,656 units in September, even as overall battery-electric vehicle (BEV) registrations across all brands rose 20% to 167,586 units. The decline at Tesla, a major BEV brand, came even as demand accelerated in Denmark, Germany and France.

From January through September, Tesla registered 111,328 cars in the EU, marking a 39% year-on-year decline, while overall BEV registrations climbed 24%. The company’s market share fell to 1.4% from 2.3% a year earlier.

Broader European Weakness

Registrations of Tesla cars fell 10.5% in September to 39,837 units and 28.5% over the January-September period to 173,694 units in the EU, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the UK combined.

Despite the regional slump, Tesla said global deliveries reached a record 497,099 vehicles in the third quarter, up 7.4% year over year. The performance was driven by Tesla customers in the U.S. rushing to buy its cars before a federal electric vehicle tax credit ended on Sept. 30.

Stocktwits Sentiment Flashes ‘Extremely Bearish’ 

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for Tesla turned ‘extremely bearish’ amid ‘low’ message volume.

Tesla’s stock has risen 10% so far in 2025.

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