Tesla’s new car registrations in Britain and Germany, Europe’s biggest auto markets, more than halved in July from a year earlier, despite growth in the bloc’s electric-vehicle market, particularly by Chinese companies.
Tesla’s July registrations – a proxy for sales – dropped by nearly 60% to 987 units in Britain and by over 55% to 1,110 in Germany, official industry data showed on Tuesday, taking the brand’s decline in the month to 45% in 10 European markets that together accounted for over 80% of Tesla’s first-half sales in the European Union, the UK and the European Free Trade Association, according to Reuters.
Data last week showed a revamp of Tesla’s signature Model Y had failed to reverse a fall in sales in major European markets.
In return, the sales volumes of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD in Germany jumped almost fivefold in July to 1,126 units and more than fivefold to 7,449 units since the beginning of the year.
BYD sales in Britain were up over 300% to 3,184 cars sold in the month.
The German road traffic agency KBA said that overall, the total number of newly registered cars in Germany rose by 11.1% to 264,802 vehicles, with sales of electric vehicles up 58% in July to 48,614 units.
In Britain, new car registrations fell about 5% year-on-year in July to 140,154 units, with growth in battery electric vehicle sales moderating to 9.1% in the month, figures from industry body Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed.
