Tesla sales rebound continues in several European markets in April

By Nick Carey

LONDON, May 1 (Reuters) - Registrations of Tesla TSLA.O cars continued to rebound in France, Denmark and the Netherlands in April, but fast-moving Chinese rivals such as BYD 002594.SZ kept chipping away at the U.S. electric vehicle maker's market share.

Tesla's sales have recovered strongly in Europe this year after two consecutive annual declines, including a drop of nearly 27% in 2025.

The EV maker's sales rose almost 45% across Europe in the first quarter. Interest in new and used EVs has surged across the continent since the Iran war began on February 28, driving fuel prices higher.

The company run by Elon Musk also received a boost in Europe last month after a Dutch regulator approved the use of its driver-assistance software. The regulator, vehicle authority RDW, has notified the European Commission of its plan to seek ‌European Union-wide approval for the software, which Tesla sells via a monthly subscription.

Tesla registrations, a proxy for sales, leapt 102% in Denmark in April from a year earlier, according to bilstatistik.dk. Data from PFA showed they also jumped 112% in France, while Dutch automotive industry association BOVAG reported a 23% increase.

The rebound comes despite Tesla's small ageing lineup of just two models. The company has not launched a new mass-market vehicle since the Model Y in 2020.

Tesla is also facing intensifying competition from a growing number of Chinese rivals and traditional carmakers as new electric models continue to enter the market.

In Denmark, Tesla sold fewer cars than Chinese EV startup Xpeng 9868.HK in April, while in the Netherlands it was outsold by BYD.