New Tesla sales in Spain drop 36% in April despite EV sales surge

(Reuters) -Tesla's new car sales in Spain fell 36% in April from the same month in 2024 to 571 vehicles, registration data released by industry group ANFAC showed on Monday, while sales of electric cars from other brands soared.

Over the first four months of 2025, sales of Teslas in Spain fell 17% over the same period a year earlier, while sales of electrified vehicles, a category that includes both fully electric vehicles and hybrids, were up 54%.

Sales of Teslas have dropped in Europe as the manufacturer owned by billionaire Elon Musk faces increased competition from European and especially Chinese EV brands.

Musk's embrace of far-right politics in Europe has also led to protests against him and the company, as well as vandalism at its showrooms and charging stations across the U.S. and Europe.

Musk said two weeks ago he would cut back on the time he devotes to the Trump administration and spend more time running Tesla.

In Spain, sales of Chinese automakers BYD, MG and Omoda were up 644%, 80% and 346% so far this year, respectively, ANFAC's report showed.

(Reporting by Javi West Larrañaga. Editing by Inti Landauro and Mark Potter)