Tesla U.S. Sales Plunge as G.M. and Others Make Gains
Tesla sales in the United States decreased by almost 9 % in the first three months of the year, even if the overall market for electric vehicles has grown, according to data completed by a research company.
Car buyers are moving away from Teslas and towards models such as the General Motors Equinox Chevrolet electric vehicle, which starts at around $ 35,000 and can travel more than 300 miles with a charge, said Cox Automotive, the research company.
Sales of all electric vehicles in the United States increased by 11 % in the first quarter to about 300,000 light cars and trucks, Cox said, much faster than the overall automotive market, which was flat. About 8 % of the new national cars sales were electric, Cox said, a slight increase compared to 2024.
“Despite many obstacles – and what you could read elsewhere – sales of electric vehicles continue to grow at a healthy pace in the US market,” said the company.
Tesla, whose managing director is Elon Musk, sells even many more electric cars in the United States than any other car manufacturer, which represents 44 percent of the market, according to Cox. But its share dropped from 51 percent the previous year.
The drop in Tesla’s US sales reflects a global crisis. The company declared this month that deliveries in the quarter in all markets decreased by 13 % to 337,000 vehicles.
Analysts attribute the decline to the selection of Tesla aging of models; poor sales of his last, The Cybertruck; growing competition; and Mr. Musk Embrace of President Trump and right -wing policywhich led to the protests at the Tesla dealers and alienated many buyers. Democrats and independent are more likely to buy electric vehicles than the Republicans.
In addition, Cybertruck sales were not up to the projections made by Mr. Musk. Tesla sold 6,400 Cybertruck’s during the quarter, more than double a year earlier when the company was still increasing production, but only half of the last three months of 2024.
Traditional car manufacturers were slow to offer electric vehicles that could compete with Tesla on technology and design, but recovered. GM has sold 10,300 equinoxes in the quarter. The vehicle was not available a year earlier. The GM brands, which also include Cadillac and GMC, represented 11 percent of the electric vehicle market during the quarter, compared to the 6 percent of the previous year.
Ford Mustang Mach-E was the best-selling electric vehicle that was not a Tesla, according to Cox figures. But the sales of the electric Mustang can suffer in months to come. It is made in Mexico and is now subject to Mr. Trump 25 % rate on imported cars. This could force Ford to increase the price of the car in the end.
Mr. Trump’s commercial war is expected to have a minor effect on Tesla, because the company has all the cars that sells in the United States in the factories in California and Texas. But it will still be injured. Tesla stopped accepting orders from Chinese customers For its model S and Model X, luxury vehicles that the company only does in California, after China has put great samples on the US imports for retaliation for the rates of Mr. Trump.
Claire was Contributed relationships.
