Infographic: Tesla’s wild ride from surge to slump

Elon Musk’s political rise once fueled Tesla’s stock—but now is it dragging it down?

Sentiment has turned sharply, sending shares tumbling. In Europe, sales are sinking as protests and growing dissatisfaction erode Tesla’s appeal. Once a market leader, Tesla is now losing ground to rivals in the EV space such as BYD.

Tesla’s European sales plunged 45% in January 2025, with just 8,843 vehicles sold—down from 16,318 a year prior—while the overall EV market surged 37%. Fierce competition from BYD and growing backlash over Elon Musk’s politics fuelled the decline. Tesla’s European market share shrank from 1.8% to 1.1%.

Tariff on/tariff off

U.S. President Donald Trump keeps playing a high-stakes game of “tariff on, tariff off” with Canada and Mexico, creating chaos for automakers.

Uncertainty looms as the industry braces for potential cost spikes and supply chain disruptions.

Meanwhile, Tesla’s stock continues to show downward trends, battered by weakening sales, rising competition, and growing investor skepticism.

By Anthony Vaccaro, with assistance from Ali Ravaghi