Tesla sales in Europe plunge 50% amid backlash over Musk and competition from hybrids, Chinese brands

In brief: Despite overall sales of battery-electric cars rising in Europe, sales of Teslas on the continent plunged by almost 50% in April as consumers boycotted the vehicles over Elon Musk's political moves. Increased competition from rival brands and Tesla's aging lineup also played a part in the sales crash. According to new figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA), Tesla sold 7,261 cars in Europe in April. That marks a 49% decrease compared to the same month a year earlier when European sales were at 14,228 units. Sales for the January to April period, meanwhile, were down almost 40%. It means the EV giant's market share has nearly halved, from 1.3% a year ago to 0.7%. The falling figures come as overall EV battery sales in Europe increased 34.1% YoY to 145,341 new registrations last month. Part of the reason why Tesla sales are falling is due to backlash against CEO Elon Musk. There have been several public protests over his relationship with Dona ... Read full article.