this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2025
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KEY POINTS

New European car registrations of Tesla vehicles totaled 8,837 in July, down 40% year-on-year, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, or ACEA.

BYD recorded 13,503 new registrations in July, up 225% annually.

Elon Musk’s automaker faces a number of challenges in Europe, including intense ongoing competition and reputational damage to the brand.

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[–] sepi@piefed.social 106 points 3 days ago (2 children)

That's what he gets for being a lying idiot nazi prick.

[–] middlemanSI@lemmy.world 46 points 3 days ago (5 children)

Tesla also makes inferior cars. Tesla also has a big unneeded tv in the car. Tesla car is a kind of an early access with their bugfix patching. Teslas' main product is also your data.

[–] FishFace@lemmy.world 22 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Tesla cars were a very good prospect until pretty much this year. Most people are fine with everything being on a big dumb screen instead of having proper buttons (even though it's a usability and safety nightmare) and once you get past that, they're comfortable and practical - and well-priced compared to the non-Chinese competition.

But now, Elon outed himself as an actual Nazi, and took away proper indicators and gear selectors.

[–] DoGeeseSeeGod@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Don't most them don't have a mechanical way to open the door? Like if the battery dies or there is a software glitch you legit can't open the fucking door. Ppl have literally died cause their shit ass doors only unlock electrically.

[–] FishFace@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago (4 children)

The normal way to open the door is with a button that cracks the window slightly, because the door does not contain an upper window frame for aesthetic reasons. However, there is a mechanical release.

What you will be thinking of is that on some models (I can't remember which exactly) the mechanical release for the rear doors is not in an obvious place, so if you need to get out in a hurry, u gon die.

This is obviously moronic design and risks lives for no practical benefit, but most people don't base their purchasing decisions based on what might go wrong in a tiny number of crashes. You could compare it to a decision to buy a luxury car rather than a normal one: that's tens of thousands of currency units that you could set aside to retire a year early, or in case you or some close to you hits bad luck. The practical choice is to buy the normal car (or the non-Tesla), but the likelihood that it will be important is very small, so it's not really crazy to make the non-practical choice.

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[–] Anivia@feddit.org 5 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Tesla also has a big unneeded tv in the car

I used to think the same, before I bought a (non-Tesla) EV myself. It's very convenient to have some entertainment other than your phone during charging stops.

[–] frezik@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 3 days ago (11 children)

It would be nice if there were some thought into charging stops. Like I want a halfway decent sandwich and a coffee while I'm here. Usually, all I get is the far end of a Walmart parking lot. If there's anything in walking distance at all, it's probably across a stroad with no pedestrian signals.

Oddly enough, EVs are better in walkable cities.

[–] BackgrndNoize@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

Everything is better in walkable cities

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[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago (2 children)

The problem is actuarial data that shows Teslas have more frontal collisions which is because of the screen which is on track to being banned in EU. The second problem is the brittle cast aluminum frame shit out of Giga presses that makes most collisions a right off. Hence very high insurance costs on the Teslur.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 19 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Not even that ..

BYDs are better and cheaper than pretty much any other EV. That's why Americans can't buy them.

And why Americans can't afford used cars.

https://www.financefling.com/how-much-would-a-byd-car-cost-in-the-usa-in-2025/

Even after current tariffs, it's cheaper than everything else.

The vast amount of Americans are suffering so a handful of wealthy ones can get even wealthier.

[–] Repelle@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago (4 children)

I’ve read a number of European reviews of the byd dolphin and most I’ve seen have compared it unfavorably to European EVs

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Looks like the average Euro EV is ~44k and the dolphin comes in under 30k, under 25k in UK....

It definitely doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but it's a shit ton cheaper.

The people writing reviews for brand new cars have a target demographic: people that routinely buy new cars.

The majority of people won't have the same priorities, especially these days.

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[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 days ago

The problem with auto reviews is that they are all advertising. They never mention reliability as a concern. Australia killed off local GM and Ford production and they brought in Chinese EVs two years ago. Consensus already is that they don't last.

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[–] expatriado@lemmy.world 62 points 3 days ago

Elon is a BYD marketing asset

[–] Jaberw0cky@lemmy.world 60 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (15 children)

I haven’t bought anything from a USA company since Trump being his second term. I canceled Amazon prime. I sought out UK and EU suppliers for all my products and services. Installed Linux (German based distro, sorry fedora) closed my social media apart from lemmy and migrated my emails to an EU service. Oh and bought a Chinese made electric Dacia. You can do it, it wasn’t even hard.

[–] makyo@lemmy.world 41 points 2 days ago (3 children)

It is an incredible self-own for the USA that won't really be felt for a few years at least. To abandon research and future markets tech like electric vehicles and green energy, and to abandon them at the exact time China goes all in on it? Are they trying to put themselves in a position of irrelevance? Because that's exactly what I'd do if that's what I wanted.

[–] Tuuktuuk@sopuli.xyz 12 points 2 days ago

I guess they really are. Much of the decisions are based on what TikTok tells people to think. Facebook allows for Russian influence, TikTok is steered from Beijing.

The idea of "USA shouldn't make electric cars" dies come from China, and exists precisely in order to put USA into disadvantage.

[–] BeatTakeshi@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

Hey, gotta focus on fascism first

[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 days ago

Yes. Trump is Putin’s puppet and does anything he says.

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[–] krigo666@lemmy.world 42 points 3 days ago (4 children)

I will buy neither.

BYD is selling a lot because is subsidized heavily by the chinese government to disrupt european brands, and this despite having a 35% tariff on top for not disclosing this to the EU.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 17 points 3 days ago

BYD is hiding $44B in debt. Chinese EV industry is eating itself and is the next Evergrande. They are losing money on every sale.

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[–] ileftreddit@piefed.social 31 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Upon hearing the news, the market sent TSLA up 490%, now Elon is a trillionaire

[–] Damionsipher@lemmy.world 34 points 3 days ago (3 children)

The stock is actually up 10% this month. The stock market is a shell game on full display at this point.

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

I've come to the conclusion that the stock market is just a representation of wealth inequality and oligarch theft than it is of the economy or any companies value.

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[–] altphoto@lemmy.today 26 points 2 days ago

60% of their business used to be racists. Now its 100%

[–] fittedsyllabi@lemmy.world 24 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Did he really think Europe would like his Elon Hitler salute?

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That's only a part of the reason. Europe now has 12 models of EVs at €25,000 that by every measure, are better.

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[–] Wispy2891@lemmy.world 20 points 2 days ago (8 children)

I tried to drive a model 3 and it was infuriating to have everything on touch including turn indicators, windshield wipers and especially the gear selector.

Then a huge screen that can't be used with your phone so you're still forced to use a phone holder like a decade ago.

For me a car without carplay/android auto loses $5000 in value, and "touchscreen everything" removes another $5000 in value. I could only accept those compromises in a $20k car if new, $10k if used

[–] Decq@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (10 children)

Wait what?? I knew they overused terrible touch screen controls.. But you can't even connect your phone properly?

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[–] bigbabybilly@lemmy.world 20 points 1 day ago

Good. May they fall another 40% in 2026. Fuck that company.

[–] carlossurf@lemmy.ca 15 points 2 days ago

Gee do you need to be a wizard to figure out aligning yourself with idiot right wingers wasn't a good business decision when your entire business appeal is about being a good person and saving the planet

The article mentions the reputational damage with a half-sentence, but we all know the main reason no one wants to buy a swasticar is. Europeans have quite the attention span, and as long as Elon is associated with Tesla - which is pretty forever - their brand is poison. Not very truthful journalism, this is.

[–] illi@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Not sure if Chinese EVs are improvement...

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (8 children)

Over Tesla I'd say they are.
BYD are not the best, but they are comfortable and cheap and charge fast.
MG has probably the cheapest BEV that is actually a decent car with good range.
Xpeng has insanely well equipped luxury cars, BMW luxury at VW prices.
Nio has the battery swap that is insanely fast, a battery swap is faster then even BYD 1 GW charging.

There are so many more options, and all of them beat Tesla in some way or other.
If you want a better Tesla than a Tesla, you can get a VW instead of model 3 and model Y, or BMW or Mercedes instead of model S.

And none of the above cars will nearly as likely kill you as a Tesla might.

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[–] Gates9@sh.itjust.works 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)
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[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

And their cars are not all roadworthy here in Europe.

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[–] ieatpwns@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago

Old and busted vs new hotness

[–] cyborganism@piefed.ca 7 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Honestly, the only reason Western EV makers are still in business is thanks to trade barriers with China.

[–] Pringles@sopuli.xyz 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

And the only reason Chinese cars are so cheap is because of massive subsidies all throughout the supply chain.

Edit: If you're going to spout whataboutisms, provide proof. Because for all intents and purposes, European manufacturers aren't nearly as subsidized as you think they are. Also note I stated "throughout the supply chain", which is far more substantial than a discount on buying an electric vehicle.

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[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (9 children)

From an american billionaire to a chinese billionaire. Glory to Europe, never doing anything well themselves.

[–] Tja@programming.dev 11 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I don't know about Europe-wide, but in Germany usually 8 of the top 10 brands (including the top 4) are European. Ford and Hyundai/Kia are the other 2.

EDIT: sales data specifically about EVs

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[–] Ziggurat@jlai.lu 7 points 2 days ago

I don't get how US stock market pretends China isn't bringing global competitors.

BYD is taking a huge market share on the EV, Temu takes a big market share on e-commerce but both Tesla and Amazon keep growing

[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 7 points 2 days ago
[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (17 children)

It's because people are waiting for the new model Y. 🤣🤣🤣

t’s not only Tesla feeling the heat from Chinese competition. Jeep owner Stellantis, South Korea’s Hyundai Group and Japan’s Toyota and Suzuki, all posted year-on-year declines in European new car registrations in July.

Japan has generally been really underwhelming in the EV market, offering mostly Hybrids. While I hear Hyundai is cheap in USA, that is not really the case in EU, a Huyndai is as expensive as a VW. Stellantis is a crap show, they continuously offer too little too late and overcharge for it.

By contrast, Volkswagen, BMW and Renault Group, were among those that logged increases in new European car registrations across the month.

VW group is really killing it here in Denmark 7 out of top 10 most sold models are from VW group here, and I think in most of EU it's mostly similar, because they offer cars with a very strong combination of range quality and attractive price.

VW has the lowest rate of errors at German mandatory biannual safety check published by TÜV, with for instance Tesla failing 7 times more often, With nearly 15% failure rate!!
In Denmark it's even worse for Tesla with 30% of model 3 failing after 4 years!!! (first mandatory check) And Tesla even rejecting repair under warranty.
The faults aren't minor either, they are serious faults in brakes, suspension and steering! No other brand is nearly is bad as Tesla in safety checks! The average rate is 11% so Tesla is about 3 times worse than average!!

https://fdm.dk/nyheder/nyt-om-biler/2025-01-populaer-tesla-model-dumper-med-et-brag-til-syn

[–] Skua@kbin.earth 8 points 3 days ago (10 children)

It's so bizarre to me that Toyota in particular isn't a bigger player in the EV market after they were the first to get a mass market hybrid going. They were halfway there before anyone else, why'd they stumble so badly?

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