Sales of Chinese electric vehicles in Europe have hit their lowest levels for two years. Dataforce analysts said just 6.9% of electric vehicles registered in February were manufactured in China, down from 7.8% in January.
This represents the lowest rate since February 2023, according to the report. The decline in sales follows last year’s introduction of customs duties on Chinese electric vehicles imported into the European Union. The drop in market share in February comes at a time when sales of electric cars in Europe have risen by a quarter.
Traditional brands such as Volkswagen, Renault and Kia were the main beneficiaries of increased demand for electric cars in February, thanks in part to the introduction of new models.
Telsa also saw a huge drop in car sales in two of its key European markets, new data for February shows.
In Germany, the company delivered only 1,429 new cars in February, down 76% compared to the same month last year, when 6,000 vehicles were delivered.
This follows on from disappointing results in January, with sales down by 59.5% from the same month last year.
Overall, Tesla sales in Germany are down 70% for the year to date, as car drivers seemingly turn their backs on the brand.
The downturn could be connected to Elon Musk’s controversial support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party.
Tesla’s chief executive threw his full support behind the party during the country’s recent federal elections, causing outrage in Germany.
In a tweet to his X social media channel, Musk urged Germans to go out and vote for the far-right party.
“Only AfD can save Germany, end of story, and people really need to get behind AfD, and otherwise things are going to get very, very much worse in Germany,” he wrote.
Previously, Tesla had been flying high in the German market, with the company becoming the best-selling electric car brand in 2022.
Across Europe, Tesla sales have been plummeting, down roughly 50% compared to last year.
Some of the worst affected markets include France, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden.
