Tesla Global Sales Slide, Safety and Governance Scrutiny

Tesla’s China-made EV sales fell 9.9% year-on-year in October to 61,497 units, with Shanghai-built Model 3/Y shipments (including exports) plunging 32.3% from September; rival BYD also reported a 12% global sales drop. In Europe, registrations in nine reported markets were down 36.3% YoY in October, with extreme month-on-month falls in Sweden (-89%), Denmark (-86%), Norway (~50%), the Netherlands (~50%) and Spain (-31%), leaving year-to-date volumes down roughly 30%. Analysts cite an ageing, limited Tesla lineup, intensifying competition from Chinese and legacy automakers, and brand damage tied to CEO Elon Musk’s political controversies as key causes. The U.S. market remained a short-term bright spot: Tesla led Q3 EV sales with the Model Y (114,897 units) and Model 3 (53,857), a bounce partly driven by consumers rushing to capture an expiring $7,500 federal tax credit, while the Cybertruck sold just 5,385 units in Q3 amid pricing and production challenges. The company is also facing mounting scrutiny over safety and governance, including NHTSA complaints that Model Y exterior door handles can fail during low-voltage outages and reports of children being trapped, alongside criticism over executive compensation moves.