Tesla Sales Down Bigly

...but their Chinese sales are still down 30% Originally Posted by HDGristle

Tesla's global sales have sharply declined, with the US and European markets experiencing the steepest drops. Sources cite multiple contributing factors, including public tensions between CEO Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump, as well as intensifying head-to-head competition with China's BYD across major markets.

Tesla has heavily invested in automotive camera development to advance its autonomous driving ambitions, but insiders report internal indecision over design strategy and growing pressure from BYD's surging sales. Nonetheless, Tesla has asked suppliers to set up production bases in so-called "third countries."

Sources say Tesla's self-driving roadmap remains uncertain, prompting some suppliers, especially those tied to emerging projects like camera modules, to reconsider their involvement. The recent sales downturn has led several vendors to scale back or exit ongoing engagements.

The "third countries" Tesla is targeting are largely in Southeast Asia, with Thailand emerging as the preferred location. Dubbed the "Detroit of the East," Thailand offers a mature automotive supply chain ecosystem and a strong export base.

Tesla new car sales in Europe fell for a fifth straight month in May, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, or ACEA, as customers pivot to cheaper Chinese electric vehicles.

Data published Wednesday by ACEA found that Tesla's car sales in the European Union, Britain and the European Free Trade Association fell to 13,863 units in May, down 27.9% year on year.