Tesla sales drop for fifth month in a row in Europe

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Causes of Tesla’s Sales Drop in Europe

  • Many argue politics is central: public Nazi-style salutes and visible support for far‑right movements are seen as uniquely unacceptable in Europe, where WWII memory is strong.
  • Others downplay that and point instead to:
    • End of major EV purchase subsidies (e.g. Germany) and changing tax regimes.
    • Rising competition from cheaper EVs (notably Chinese brands and European incumbents) as EV production costs fall.
    • Broader economic strain in Europe; expensive “status” cars are less appealing when housing and living costs soar.
  • Some note that overall EV sales in Europe are up, and car sales in general are up, making Tesla’s decline stand out.

Brand, Image, and “Green” Credentials

  • Several commenters say Tesla’s original appeal—environmentalism, tech-cool factor, and US startup glamour—has collapsed:
    • Musk’s politics and behavior are seen as incompatible with “save the planet” branding.
    • The brand is described as “burned” in parts of Europe; some owners add stickers to distance themselves from Musk.
  • Debate over how much ordinary buyers care:
    • Some insist most people won’t boycott over CEO politics.
    • Others cite older, non‑online relatives who now explicitly avoid Tesla, especially after the public salutes.

EV Adoption Drivers in Europe

  • Disagreement over whether private “green” idealism or:
    • Fleet purchases,
    • EU fleet emission rules, and
    • National subsidies/tax policy
      are the main adoption drivers.
  • Concern that residual values of used Teslas are falling, making fleets and lease buyers wary.

Product, Design, and Lineup

  • Tesla’s model range is seen as narrow by European standards, with many competing EVs now matching or beating it in:
    • Build quality, interior design, body styles, and driving dynamics.
  • Criticism of UI decisions (loss of stalks, overreliance on touchscreens) as “cost‑cutting ergonomics” rather than elegance.

Geopolitics and Alternatives (US vs China)

  • Some prefer Chinese EVs (e.g. BYD) over Tesla for price and quality, even while worrying about Chinese political influence and future market dominance.
  • Others argue buying from Chinese firms is no worse, ethically, than from US firms given current US politics and foreign policy.

Stock and Corporate Future

  • Tesla’s high valuation is described as “meme stock” behavior divorced from fundamentals.
  • Several say the company is now trapped with its CEO: the brand and valuation are tightly bound to his persona, promises, and hype.

Musk, Sympathy, and Ethics

  • Heated side‑debate on whether anyone “should” feel sympathy for Musk.
  • Some frame his actions (and Dogecoin‑related behavior) as materially harmful and beyond forgiveness; others argue that basic humanity and empathy should extend to everyone, regardless of politics or wealth.