Elon Musk's foray into politics faces "backlash," Tesla's sales in Germany plummet 76% year-on-year in February

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made a high-profile entry into German politics by supporting the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD), but it seems he has "burned himself." The latest data shows that Tesla's sales in Germany plummeted dramatically in February, and German voters appear to be genuinely outraged... Today, data released by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) indicates that Tesla's performance in the German market has clearly "lagged behind." In February 2025, Tesla's vehicle registrations in Germany were only 1,429, a staggering 76% drop year-on-year. This figure stands in stark contrast to the robust growth of the overall electric vehicle market in Germany, which saw a 31% year-on-year increase in registrations that month. Behind the plummeting sales is Musk's "astonishing" move in German politics. Analysts point out that Musk's political stance may lead to some consumers developing averse feelings towards the Tesla brand. According to Bloomberg, on February 23, ahead of the German federal elections, Musk publicly supported the far-right party AfD, known for its anti-immigration and pro-Russian positions, and for its strong criticism of Germany's political system. Although the AfD rose to second place in the elections, Merz, who is expected to become the next Chancellor, has vowed to keep his distance from the party. However, Tesla's sales difficulties are not limited to the German market. In the first two months of 2025, Tesla's sales in Germany fell by 71%, while in France, sales dropped by 44%. These two countries are the largest electric vehicle markets in the EU. In contrast, the UK market performed well, with Tesla's registrations in the country increasing by 11% in the first two months, thanks to strong growth in February. It is noteworthy that the overall passenger car market in Germany also showed a downward trend in February, with total new registrations at 203,434 vehicles, a year-on-year decrease of 6.4%. However, new energy vehicles experienced counter-trend growth. The registration of hybrid vehicles increased by 12%, with plug-in hybrid vehicles growing by 34%. The registration of battery electric vehicles (BEV) grew by 30.8%, accounting for 17.7% of the market. Yet, against the backdrop of overall growth in the German electric vehicle market, Tesla's dramatic sales decline is even more "eye-catching."