21世纪经济报道·2025-07-07 08:56Core Viewpoint - Tesla is facing significant challenges in the European market, with a notable decline in sales and increasing competition from Chinese automakers like BYD, which have surpassed Tesla in electric vehicle sales in Europe [2][7][12]. Group 1: Tesla's Performance in Europe - In May, Tesla's new car registrations in the EU dropped by 40.5% to 8,729 vehicles, marking five consecutive months of declining sales [2][3]. - Tesla's market share in Europe has fallen to 1.2%, with particularly poor performance in France, where only 721 vehicles were sold in May [3][5]. - Following the departure of a key executive, Tesla's sales operations in the US and Europe have been taken over by Elon Musk himself [4]. Group 2: Competition from Chinese Automakers - BYD's sales in Europe have surged, with a year-on-year increase of 359% in April, surpassing Tesla's sales for the first time [7]. - In May, Chinese brands registered 65,808 new vehicles in Europe, achieving a market share of 5.9%, doubling from 2.9% in the same period last year [11]. - Other Chinese automakers, such as Geely and SAIC, have also seen significant growth, with SAIC's registrations increasing by 49.1% from January to May [12]. Group 3: Market Dynamics and Future Outlook - The EU's tariffs on electric vehicles are expected to impact Chinese automakers by the end of 2024, but they are currently capitalizing on the growing demand for hybrid vehicles, which are not subject to these tariffs [16]. - Despite the rapid growth of Chinese brands, traditional European manufacturers still dominate the market, holding 55% of the EU market share as of May [19][20]. - Tesla has established a high-end brand image and has manufacturing facilities in Europe, which may provide some resilience against the rising competition [22].