Tesla Just Hit a Wall in Europe
While the market grew 29%, Tesla fell 27% — and Volkswagen quietly took the keys
For years we were told Tesla was inevitable.
Like gravity.
Like taxes.
Like your back hurting after 60.
“EV future? Tesla wins. Everyone else fights for scraps.”
Yeah… not so much.
Europe just handed Tesla its walking papers.
And not because electric cars are slowing down.
Because everyone else sped up.
Here’s the scoreboard for 2025…
Volkswagen: 274,000 EVs sold
Tesla: 236,000
Gap: 16%
VW growth: +56%
Tesla drop: –27%
Europe’s total EV market: +29%
Let that sink in.
The pie got bigger…
and Tesla’s slice got smaller.
That’s not “tough year.”
That’s losing relevance.
What actually happened?
Three simple things.
No rocket science. No Wall Street voodoo.
Just basics.
1. Tesla stopped being special
Tesla shows up to Europe with basically two aging models.
Model 3.
Model Y.
That’s it.
Meanwhile Volkswagen rolled in like a buffet…
ID.4
ID.7
more on the way
multiple price points
local dealerships
service networks people already trust
If you’re a German or French buyer and you want…
“Something electric… but normal… not a spaceship on wheels…”
Volkswagen hands you keys.
Tesla hands you a tablet and says “figure it out.”
Most folks picked normal.
2. Elon turned customers off
This one’s not mechanical.
It’s emotional.
And Europe votes with its wallet.
A lot of buyers didn’t like Elon Musk wading into far-right politics across Europe.
That’s not culture-war Twitter stuff.
That’s dinner-table stuff.
Reputation matters.
Especially in Germany and France.
If the CEO feels radioactive… people just buy something else.
Simple.
3. Europe protects its own
This is the part Americans always pretend isn’t real.
But it’s real.
Policy.
Europe pushes EVs hard…
emissions rules
fuel taxes
incentives
supply chain rules
local manufacturing perks
Guess who benefits most?
European companies.
Not imports.
Tesla, Inc. builds mainly in the U.S. and China, with limited local production.
Volkswagen?
European factories. European jobs. European politics.
That’s home-ice advantage.
And Tesla’s skating uphill.
The part nobody wants to say out loud
Tesla didn’t lose because batteries got worse.
They lost because the world caught up.
Once everyone can build decent EVs…
Scale wins.
Service wins.
Trust wins.
The scrappy pioneer becomes… just another brand.
Happens every time.
BlackBerry.
Nokia.
Palm Pilot.
Now Tesla’s learning the same lesson.
First China.
Now Europe.
Suddenly they’re not global king.
They’re just strong at home.
That’s not dominance.
That’s regional.
What comes next?
My bet?
European brands keep gaining
Chinese brands keep sneaking in
Tesla keeps sliding unless they refresh hard
U.S. responds with more protectionism
World car market fractures into regions
No single winner.
Just three blocs…
China owns Asia
Europe owns Europe
America protects America
Less competition.
Higher prices.
Consumers pay.
Same old movie.
Bottom line…
When the market grows and you shrink…
it’s not a speed problem.
It’s a strategy problem.
Tesla didn’t get beaten by tech.
They got beaten by reality.
The recap…
Tesla didn’t just lose a little ground in Europe.
They got passed. Hard.
While EV sales jumped 29%, Tesla dropped 27%.
Volkswagen didn’t out-innovate them.
They just built cars people actually wanted.
Turns out “hype” isn’t a moat.
The Gut-Punch…
When your market grows and you shrink, you’re not leading — you’re fading.
Source Credit:
Data and sales figures compiled from European EV registration reports and analysis by House of EL.
Canada Strong Movement… House Rule & Disclosure
Canada Strong exists to defend Canadian sovereignty, democratic norms, and economic independence… without imported talking points or borrowed outrage.
House rule… Facts and good-faith discussion are welcome. I use AI tools to help turn my spoken drafts into clear writing. I’m 73, my hands shake, and I type with two fingers… so I speak first, then edit.
The ideas, positions, and final message are mine.
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I don't usually wish anyone ill but... well, damn it... I wish nothing but ill upon that man. No one individual should ever hold that much of the worlds wealth. Complete morons (even if they're some kind of market savant) should probably not even be let out of the backroom.
This bit of news sounds great on the same day I see the story about New Brunswick kicking it's Twitter habit. Let's hope that's the first domino.
Too much greed, hate, and ignorance from this one source. I hope to see it slip into the dust bin of history.
With regards to the American market, let's hope Canada takes advantage of the European and Asian technologies.