Tesla’s UK new car sales dropped sharply by over 45% year-on-year in May, according to preliminary figures from research group New AutoMotive. The U.S. electric vehicle maker sold just 1,758 units last month, compared to 3,244 during the same period in 2023.
The decline comes as Tesla faces mounting competition in the electric vehicle (EV) market and growing public criticism of CEO Elon Musk’s political stance, particularly his alignment with far-right ideologies in Europe. This shift in public sentiment appears to be impacting Tesla’s brand appeal across key European markets.
Despite the drop, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) maintained its position as the top-selling battery electric vehicle (BEV) brand in Britain for the year to date. The company’s strong overall performance earlier in the year has helped it stay ahead of rivals, even as May figures suggest waning momentum.
The broader UK auto market showed resilience, with total new car registrations increasing by 4.3% to 144,098 units in May. Battery electric vehicle sales rose significantly—up 28% compared to a year earlier—highlighting continued consumer interest in EVs.
Meanwhile, Chinese automaker BYD (SZ:002594) made substantial gains, more than doubling its UK sales to 1,388 units. This growth underscores the rising influence of Chinese EV brands in Western markets, posing a stronger challenge to incumbents like Tesla.
As EV adoption accelerates and political perceptions weigh on brand loyalty, Tesla may need to recalibrate its public image and pricing strategies to defend its leadership position in the competitive UK electric vehicle sector.


Oracle Plans $45–$50 Billion Funding Push in 2026 to Expand Cloud and AI Infrastructure
SoftBank and Intel Partner to Develop Next-Generation Memory Chips for AI Data Centers
Nvidia Nears $20 Billion OpenAI Investment as AI Funding Race Intensifies
Denso Cuts Profit Forecast Amid U.S. Tariffs and Rising Costs
Sam Altman Reaffirms OpenAI’s Long-Term Commitment to NVIDIA Amid Chip Report
Australian Scandium Project Backed by Richard Friedland Poised to Support U.S. Critical Minerals Stockpile
Nvidia’s $100 Billion OpenAI Investment Faces Internal Doubts, Report Says
NRW Holdings Shares Surge After Securing Major Rio Tinto Contract and New Project Wins
Using the Economic Calendar to Reduce Surprise Driven Losses in Forex
Palantir Stock Jumps After Strong Q4 Earnings Beat and Upbeat 2026 Revenue Forecast
Novo Nordisk Warns of Profit Decline as Wegovy Faces U.S. Price Pressure and Rising Competition
Jensen Huang Urges Taiwan Suppliers to Boost AI Chip Production Amid Surging Demand
Nvidia Confirms Major OpenAI Investment Amid AI Funding Race
Disney Board Nears CEO Decision as Josh D’Amaro Emerges as Leading Candidate
Elon Musk’s Empire: SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI Merger Talks Spark Investor Debate
Panama Supreme Court Voids Hong Kong Firm’s Panama Canal Port Contracts Over Constitutional Violations
CK Hutchison Unit Launches Arbitration Against Panama Over Port Concessions Ruling 



