Electric vehicle maker Tesla experienced a significant decline in UK vehicle registrations during February, falling 37% compared to the same period last year. The drop comes as Chinese competitors like BYD gain market share in the electric vehicle sector.
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla saw a steep decline in UK vehicle registrations last month, with February numbers falling 37% compared to the previous year, according to new data released Thursday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The company’s UK registrations dropped to 2,422 vehicles in February, down from 3,852 units during the same month in 2024. This decline occurred while Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers like BYD continue expanding their market presence.
Despite Tesla’s struggles, the broader UK automotive market showed strength, with total new vehicle registrations climbing 7.2% to reach 90,100 units. Industry data indicates this represents the strongest February performance since 2004, driven largely by improved private retail purchases.
Tesla representatives pushed back against using monthly registration figures as a measure of company performance. “Tesla monthly registration figures are not an accurate reflection of sales or orders taken,” a company spokesperson told UK media outlets, explaining that quarterly data provides a more accurate picture due to how vehicles are shipped from manufacturing facilities to the UK market.
The spokesperson added: “Across January and February the orders and reservations from customers far exceed their respective months in 2025 and 2024, however these orders remain unfulfilled as we have not yet registered and delivered these cars to customers.”
These findings align with separate research published Wednesday by transport analysis firm New Automotive, which recorded Tesla’s February sales at approximately 2,208 vehicles, representing nearly a 50% decline.
Meanwhile, Chinese competitor BYD demonstrated strong growth, with New Automotive reporting a 40% increase in sales, while SMMT data showed an even more dramatic 83% surge. However, BYD’s total volume still remains below Tesla’s numbers in the UK market.
The variation in reported figures stems from different data collection methods and sources used by SMMT and New Automotive in their respective analyses.
