Tesla had a rough start to 2026 in Europe. January numbers show a big drop in registrations—sales fell 44% compared to last year across five big markets. This continues a three-year losing streak.
Big Drops in Key Countries
Electrek’s analysis shows the slump is happening all over:
- Norway: Down 88% (from 689 to just 83 cars). The end of EV incentives explains some of this, but the size of the drop surprised experts.
- Netherlands: Down 67%
- France: Down 42% (from 1,140 to 661 cars)
- Sweden: Up 26%, but still 29% lower than January 2024
- Denmark: Up 3%, mostly because last year was so bad
In total, Tesla registered 2,021 cars, down from 3,605 the year before.
Three Years of Falling Sales
Tesla’s problems are getting worse:
2023 → 2024: Around a 10% drop
2024 → 2025: Down 27.8%
January 2026: Down 43.9%
Why the Trouble?
A few things are happening at once:
Old products: The Model Y hasn't had a big update in over four years.
More competition: BYD, Volkswagen, and others are selling newer, cheaper EVs.
Brand Issues: Elon Musk’s politics have turned off some European Tesla fans.
Fewer incentives: As subsidies decrease, Tesla’s higher prices are harder to accept.
In the Netherlands, Tesla has gone from the top EV brand to fifth place.
What's Next?
Germany, Tesla’s biggest market in Europe, will report its January data next week. Sales were already down 48% in 2025, so no one expects good news.
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