Elon Musk’s Tesla is enjoying skyrocketing new car sales in Norway compared to the previous year, defying a broader sales slump in the EV giant’s European markets.
CNBC reports that Elon Musk’s has experienced a remarkable turnaround in Norway, with new car sales surging by an impressive 213 percent in May 2025 compared to the same period last year. According to official registration data from the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), Tesla sold 2,600 vehicles last month, a significant increase from the 832 units sold in May 2024. This surge in sales, primarily driven by the revamped Model Y compact sport utility vehicle, comes as a surprise amidst Tesla’s struggling performance across Europe.
Christina Bu, secretary general of the Norwegian EV Association (NEVA), which represents electric car owners in the country, highlighted the popularity of the Tesla Model Y in Norway. She cited the vehicle’s value for money, ample luggage space, high ground clearance, all-wheel drive, and tow hitch as factors that appeal to Norwegian consumers. Additionally, Tesla’s recent price campaigns have likely contributed to the surge in sales.
The company’s sales performance in Norway stands in stark contract to its broader European sales, which have recently been hit by a sharp decline. Industry groups have reported significantly lower May sales for new Tesla vehicles in Spain, Portugal, Denmark, and Sweden, where Reuters reports Tesla sales have fallen by almost 54 percent year-over-year. One trade group reports Tesla’s Europe sales plunged 49 percent in April when compared to the previous year.
Rico Luman, senior sector economist for transport and logistics at Dutch bank ING, described Tesla’s latest monthly car sales data in Norway as “quite remarkable,” noting that the figures in the Netherlands also showed a month-on-month bounce back. Luman attributed the rebound to the revamped Model Y SUV, suggesting that a first batch of deliveries likely took place in May, with more expected in June.
Despite this success in Norway, Tesla continues to face stiff competition from traditional automakers and Chinese players. For example, auto giant BYD recently outsold Tesla in pure electric cars in Europe for the first time. Rella Suskin, equity analyst at Morningstar, pointed out a strong correlation between the market share of Chinese car brands across Europe and battery EV adoption rates, with Norway having the highest battery electric vehicle adoption rate and the highest share of Chinese vehicles, excluding Russia.
Read more at CNBC here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
