TESLA UK CAR SALES FALL 29% AS CHINESE AUTOMAKERS GAIN MARKET SHARE
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
Tesla’s UK car registrations fell over 29% year-on-year in December, according to industry data released Tuesday, highlighting the growing competition the U.S. electric vehicle maker faces from Chinese brands in its largest European market.
Tesla, led by Elon Musk, saw its UK registrations—a key sales indicator—drop to 6,323 units in December, according to New AutoMotive data reported by Reuters. For the full year 2025, Tesla’s UK sales declined 8.9% year-on-year.
The decline mirrors trends in other European markets, where Tesla faces mounting competition, an ageing vehicle lineup, and scrutiny over Musk’s political positions in the region.
Meanwhile, UK registrations for Chinese rival BYD surged nearly fivefold to 5,194 units in December.
Despite the challenges, Tesla remained the top-selling electric vehicle brand in the UK, even as BYD steadily closes the gap, New AutoMotive data showed.
Tesla lost its position as the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer to BYD after the U.S. automaker reported a second consecutive year of declining annual sales.
In the Netherlands, Tesla registrations dropped 27% to 4,300 vehicles in December, according to data from industry group RAI Vereniging released Monday.
Multiple bar charts illustrate changes in Tesla’s battery electric vehicle sales across selected European markets in December and for the full year 2025.
Overall, UK car registrations increased in 2025, according to data released Tuesday by New AutoMotive and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
New car registrations in Britain rose 3.5% last year to 2 million units, marking the first time the milestone has been reached since the pandemic, SMMT data showed.
Two Chinese automakers also made the top 10 best-selling car brands in the UK in December, with SAIC’s MG ranking second and BYD placing sixth, according to SMMT.
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