Last year, overall vehicle sales in Europe barely ticked up, rising 2.2 percent from 2024. EV sales, meanwhile, increased by 29 percent, bringing market share to an impressive 19.5 percent.
That's according to data from automotive analyst JATO Dynamics, which finds that the big winner has been Volkswagen. Last year, its EVs outsold those from Tesla for the first time as sales of VW's electric offering grew by 56 percent, while Tesla's shrank by 27 percent.
To put that into concrete numbers, VW sold 274,278 EVs to Tesla's 236,357. And that's just the VW brand itself—the automaker also owns Skoda (in 4th place, with 171,703 sales), Audi (5th place, 153,845 sales), Cupra (15th place, 79,269 sales), and Porsche (21st place, 32,715 sales). Not a bad effort, considering just over a decade has passed since VW's Dieselgate scandal.
20 Comments
flamingo_pinyata@sopuli.xyz · 48 pts · 198d
Imagine losing to VW in the EV game after a 10+ year headstart. Humiliating.
whereIsTamara@lemmy.org · 21 pts · 198d
The only thing Tesla ever had going for it was that big screen, which ended up triggering a horrible era of buttonless cars. I’ll be happy when they die.
rafoix@lemmy.zip · 12 pts · 198d
Don’t forget that Tesla also provides cremation services for the whole family.
whereIsTamara@lemmy.org · 2 pts · 198d
Isn’t it like an 8 hour cremation service that can still burn in the rain?
Visstix@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 198d
Honestly, that sounds like a very reliable service.
rafoix@lemmy.zip · 2 pts · 198d
By far the most reliable part of Tesla technology. Remember that they’re a technology brand and not a car company. Because they sell lots of things that are not cars. Cars, carbon credits, cremation services, red flags.
golli@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 198d
Imo they also has their charging network, which was a differentiating feature. But imo it was clear that eventually it was something that becomes less important the wider general adoption progresses.
Not sure, but I think they also were early or at least better than legacy car makers with over the air software updates.
But nowadays I don't see any standout thing that sets them apart. Tesla got the early lead due others imo facing the inventors dilemma, but they didn't progress further and now others caught up.
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 30 pts · 198d
274,278+171,703+153,845+79,269+32,715 = 711,813
711,813 / 236,357 = 3,01
So VW group has 3 times the sales in Europe that Tesla has. That's a bit more than "slipped behind".
Even main VW brand by itself is almost 14% higher than Tesla!
In Denmark with 70% EV sales, No Tesla model is even in top 10 anymore! And that's despite Tesla basically only sell 2 models!
dxgsthrr@feddit.uk · 10 pts · 198d
With the whole Greenland thing, I can imagine that people in Denmark especially would be against buying a car from an American brand
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 198d
Yes that is true, but this trend started already late 2024, and in 2025 Tesla sales were consistently 50% below 2024. Even before Greenland became an issue.
Sweden, Germany and France have had similar decline to Denmark in Tesla sales. And finally sales in Norway are declining for Tesla too. IDK why, but for some reason Tesla remained a darling in Norway longer than for any other European country.
But apparently the bubble is bursting in Norway now:
https://www.carscoops.com/2026/02/tesla-sales-collapse-evs-january/
Asetru@feddit.org · 7 pts · 198d
The real question is who those 236,357 cars were sold to. Which European buys a car from a guy who did a Hitler salute live on stage, twice?
Buffalox@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 198d
I suppose people who are fascists or don't give a shit or are extremely ignorant.
lambipapp@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 198d
Saddest part is that WV group is struggling, closing factories and doing layoffs. All the while Elon swimming around In new investments every day.
green_red_black@slrpnk.net · 1 pts · 198d
vga@sopuli.xyz · 4 pts · 198d
Volkswagen sucks. The only reason they are doing relatively well is because Musk has been the perfect spokesperson for every other car company except his own.
VW could have massively long-term profited from this but nope. They make mediocre EVs and to make it worse, they are even backpedaling from their earlier modest investments into EVs.
There's very little reason to believe this changed anything. They are angry that they got caught, not because they did it.
Paddzr@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 198d
Can we add Volvo to that list? Just go buy Korean brands.
Or cheap French, those are doing well.
FatVegan@leminal.space · 1 pts · 198d
Fuuuuuuuuck i was looking at a Volvo... What are they up to?
Paddzr@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 197d
Outdated.
Expensive.
Banking on eco friendly with recycled look, but aren't actually all that eco.
Currently prone to being set ablaze, currently going through a recall.
SUPER INEFFICIENT. like one of the worst efficient cars I've test driven.
Super heavy, they cram inefficient batteries as they recycle ice bases and just increase the battery size = extra weight = extra cost to charge etc.
There's a lot honestly. You got to compare it to what is out there right now. People tend to compare them to their current 10 year old car or are simply blind to the flaws. Genuinely, I wouldn't recommend it or polestar to anyone unless you really like how they look and you care not about money.
Padit@feddit.org · 1 pts · 198d
Well, they are now owned by a chinese company. Stilm produce in sweden though and are great for safety and ecology.
zaphod@sopuli.xyz · 1 pts · 197d
Volvo belongs to Geely which owns a few other brands focused on electric cars such as Polestar and Zeekr.
Ton@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 198d
Can't wait for the whole Musk fata morgana to crater, couldn't happen to a nicer guy...