Last month saw new Tesla car sales in Europe nearly halve, a sign of declining desire for the US automaker's automobiles.
The news comes as CEO Elon Musk has been heavily involved in politics on both sides of the Atlantic.
According to figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), the Texas-based automaker sold 9,945 cars in Europe in January, a 45 per cent decrease from 18,161 vehicles sold the previous year. Tesla's market share also decreased from 1.8 per cent to one per cent.
The brand has long been associated with Mr Musk and his anti-climate activism.
Mike Schwede, an entrepreneur and digital strategist based in Switzerland, was horrified to see the Tesla CEO recently spend hundreds of millions of dollars supporting US President Donald Trump, who pledged to increase American oil and gas production, telling the Guardian: “He was getting more and more weird.”
And upon seeing Mr Musk's repeated fascist salutes during Trump's inauguration in January, Mr Schwede remarked: “I felt nothing but utter disgust. And I no longer enjoyed sitting in my Tesla.”
Mr Schwede isn’t the only person wanting to cut ties with his Tesla.
Patrik Schneider told Germany’s Capital.de media that the pivotal moment occurred to him when a stranger heckled him at a petrol station, pointing to his Tesla and calling him a Trump fan.
He said: “Of course, as a Tesla driver, you were always the fool: the Green party voter, the world saviour, the CO2 guy. But now you’re in a category that’s no longer funny.”
Mr Schneider even created a range of “anti-Elon stickers” for Tesla vehicles. He started selling the stickers online six months ago, and has since received orders for inscriptions ranging from “Elon sucks” to “I bought this before Elon went crazy”.
He added that demand rocketed to as many as 2,000 stickers a day as Mr Musk hosted the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)’s co-leader, Alice Weidel, in an interview on X and turned up at an AfD rally.
If you’re also looking to sell your Tesla, here is everything you need to know.
How to sell your Tesla
There are multiple ways you can sell your Tesla.
You can either choose to sell it yourself on Autotrader or use an auction company, such as Motorway and Carwow.
Rsev, who claim to be electric vehicle enthusiasts, is also another great option as the company says it is the leading supplier of used Teslas in the UK.
Alternatively, you can consider selling directly to a Tesla dealership.
If you’re listing your vehicle yourself, make sure to include thorough details and excellent images to present your vehicle in its best condition.
What other options do you have for electric cars?
Electric cars have grown in popularity over recent years and every major car manufacturer now offers at least one electric vehicle, especially since petrol and diesel cars become increasingly more costly.
According to Carwow, one of the best electric vehicles you can purchase in 2025 is the Kia EV3, with prices for a new model starting from £31,063.
It is one of the more affordable options and has a battery range that can last up to 375 miles, plus it is practical for starters and has a big boot.
The company also recommends the Volvo EX30, an “up-to-date electric car” starting at less than £33,000.
This could be the pick for you if you like Tesla’s minimalism as it lacks a lot of buttons. Its battery life is slightly less than Kia’s, with 295 miles.
Other models worth exploring include Fisker Ocean, which supports a range of lifestyles, and it is priced very competitively, with prices starting at just under £37,000 for the entry-level Sport model.
If you’re after a long-running and high-quality line, you could consider the Hyundai Ioniq 5 model, with its super-spacious interior and strong performance. It is slightly more expensive compared with the other models, with prices starting from £39,120.
