Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) began 2026 facing ongoing weakness across several major European markets, with vehicle registrations falling sharply in January.
In France, Tesla registrations dropped 42% last month to just 661 vehicles, their lowest level in more than three years, according to figures published Sunday by the country’s automotive body PFA.
The downturn was even more pronounced in Norway, where Tesla’s January registrations collapsed by 88%. The decline is striking given that Norway had been one of Tesla’s strongest European markets in 2025, when registrations there rose 41%.
The broader Norwegian auto market also suffered a severe slowdown after a change in government policy that tightened value-added tax exemption rules. As a result, overall industry sales in the country plunged 76% in January.
Tesla’s difficulties are not limited to France and Norway. Across Europe as a whole, the company’s sales fell 27% in 2025, standing in stark contrast to the wider battery-electric vehicle market, where registrations increased by 30%, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.