As of September 2024, Volkswagen (VW) has overtaken Tesla in electric vehicle (EV) sales in Germany, marking a significant shift in the market. VW sold 42,590 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the first nine months of the year, while Tesla recorded 29,847 sales.
This decline for Tesla is notable, with its sales plummeting by 41.9% compared to the previous year. In contrast, BMW has also seen a rise in EV sales, increasing by nearly 32% and closely trailing Tesla with 29,578 new registrations.
The overall market for electric vehicles has contracted, with the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) reporting a total of 276,390 new EV registrations, a decrease of 28.6% year-on-year. VW's sales also fell by 23.3%, but not as drastically as Tesla's.
In terms of individual vehicle sales, Tesla's Model Y, once the best-selling electric car, has now been surpassed by the Skoda Enyaq, which sold 3,406 units in September 2024. The Model Y follows with 3,067 units, while VW's ID.7 sold 2,673 units, nearly doubling its previous month's figures.
Several factors contribute to Tesla's downturn, including an aging model lineup, with the Model 3 and Model Y being on the market for eight and four years, respectively. The recently introduced Cybertruck remains a niche product, and its approval in the EU is pending due to safety concerns.
Additionally, competition has intensified with the emergence of new EV models from both traditional manufacturers and new entrants, particularly from China and the U.S. Elon Musk's controversial public persona and political affiliations have also raised concerns among potential buyers, as exemplified by the German retailer Rossmann's decision to exclude Tesla models from its fleet.