Tesla sales in Germany dropped 41% in 2024

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Macro EV and policy context

  • Germany is in recession; overall EV registrations fell ~27%.
  • The end or reduction of EV purchase subsidies in Germany in late 2023 likely pulled demand forward into 2023 and depressed 2024 sales.
  • Some argue this is largely an economics story (less money, higher electricity prices, fewer incentives) rather than politics.

Is the drop Tesla‑specific?

  • Several commenters point out that while the EV market shrank, German brands (VW, BMW, Mercedes) and Volvo grew EV sales and share, overtaking Tesla.
  • This is used to argue that Tesla’s 41% drop is not just macro: other premium EVs in similar price brackets are still gaining.

Musk’s politics, image, and identity signaling

  • Strong thread: Tesla used to be a “green, progressive, tech-forward” status symbol; Musk’s political turn and controversial gestures/ties to far-right politics have badly damaged that image in Europe.
  • Some buyers, especially affluent urban/“green” circles, report selling Teslas or ruling them out purely to avoid association with Musk or being perceived as right‑wing.
  • Others insist they prioritize product/price and only consider CEO behavior as a tiebreaker; they see “cancel culture”/virtue signaling as overstated.
  • There’s heated dispute over whether Musk’s public gesture was a deliberate Nazi salute; Europeans in the thread are more likely to say “obviously yes”, others “obviously no”.

Competition and price dynamics

  • German brands electrifying their lineups and Volvo expanding its EV range give buyers more “premium EV” choices.
  • In Australia and elsewhere, Chinese makers (notably BYD) undercut Tesla on price; some say Musk’s behavior then becomes the nudge to choose the cheaper alternative.
  • Some note Tesla’s stock valuation looks increasingly hard to justify if growth stalls.

Quality, software, privacy, trust

  • Mixed views on car quality: some call Teslas “crappy,” others who switched from German brands strongly disagree.
  • Complaints about Tesla reliability relative to price, removal of features (e.g., sensors), and OTA updates that break things.
  • Worries about in‑car surveillance and leaked camera footage add to reluctance.
  • A nontrivial cohort feels misled by failed self‑driving promises and has switched brands.

Overall

  • Consensus that multiple factors—economy, subsidies, stronger competition, and Musk’s personal brand—interact.
  • The exact contribution of each factor to the 41% drop remains unclear and contested.