Sales of Tesla electric cars fell sharply in the last three months compared to a year earlier as boycotts over Elon Musk's political views continue to keep buyers away. Tesla is also facing stiff competition from other electric vehicle makers, especially in Europe where China's BYD has taken a bite out of its market share. The 13% plunge in sales reported Wednesday adds to growing signs that Musk's embrace of U.S. President Donald Trump and far-right politicians in Europe has had a deep and enduring impact to Tesla's brand appeal. Sales fell to 384,122 in April through June, down from 443,956 in the same period last year.

Tesla's global annual sales fell for the first time in more than a dozen years, a blow to a stock that has soared since Donald Trump's election and its CEO billionaire became a top policy adviser to the president elect. Sales rose 2.3% in the final quarter but that was not enough to overcome a sluggish start to 2024. The annual decline for the Austin, Texas, company came despite offers of discounts such as 0% financing, free charging and low-priced leases. Tesla's 1.79 million sales for 2024 was 1.1% below 2023 sales as demand for electric vehicles in the U.S. and elsewhere slowed.