Tesla’s UK car sales fall in November, New Automotive data shows

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By Alessandro Parodi

Dec 4 (Reuters) – Tesla’s UK car registrations fell by 19% in November, preliminary data from research group New AutoMotive showed on Thursday, following steep drops reported in other European markets for the month.

November registrations, a proxy for sales, of Tesla cars in the UK fell to 3,784 from 4,680 cars sold in the same month last year, the data showed.

The U.S. EV maker, which recently started rolling out new versions of its best-selling Model Y SUV, has been struggling with an aging lineup and growing competition in a crowded European market, especially from new entrants from China.

There are now more than 150 electric models available to British motorists, according to EV buying advice site Electrifying.com. 

Amid the assortment of EV brands, registrations by Tesla’s Chinese peer BYD, which also sells hybrids and plug-in hybrids, jumped by 229% in November to 3,217 cars sold.

Customer sentiment for Tesla has also fallen in recent months, after CEO Elon Musk publicly praised right-wing political figures and after his short stint as head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency.

The brand’s November drop in registrations is in line with a 20% fall in Germany and a slump of almost 60% in France and other European markets, which were only partly offset by record-breaking sales in Norway.

Overall, total new car registrations in Britain fell 6.3% to 146,780 vehicles for November, according to New AutoMotive.

Those of battery-electric cars fell 1.1% to 38,742 vehicles, while plug-in hybrid registrations jumped 3.8% to 16,526.

($1 = 0.7496 pound)

(Reporting by Alessandro Parodi in GdanskEditing by Matthew Lewis)