LONDON, March 6, 2026, 13:02 GMT
Tesla UK registrations dropped sharply in February—down 37.1% to 2,422 vehicles—even as total new-car registrations in Britain climbed 7.2% to 90,100, a level not seen for February since 2004. BYD, Tesla’s Chinese competitor, closed in fast, with its registrations soaring 83.0% to 2,154, nearly overtaking Tesla’s tally.
The numbers undercut hopes for a wider European recovery. February registrations jumped—France up 55%, Spain surged 74%, Norway climbed 32%, per Reuters. Since late last year, Tesla’s offered cheaper Model Y and Model 3 options across Europe. Still, the UK figures point to a patchy rebound after Tesla’s European sales dropped 27% last year.
Pressure is mounting across the electric-car sector. Battery-electric vehicles accounted for just 24.2% of UK registrations in February and 22.0% for the year so far—nowhere near the 33% target set by Britain’s Zero Emission Vehicle mandate. That mandate, designed to boost zero-emission new-car sales, is still outpacing what the market is delivering.
Tesla wasn’t having it with the monthly numbers. A spokesperson argued that registrations fail to capture real sales, since deliveries bunch up at different points in the quarter. According to the company, January and February orders and reservations outpaced those same months in 2025 and 2024, but most hadn’t been delivered yet.
The start of the year hasn’t been kind. SMMT figures put Tesla’s UK registrations at 3,140 vehicles so far—a drop of 40.9%. BYD, on the other hand, saw its numbers more than double, jumping 121.3% to 6,175. Even so, Tesla’s Model 3 held onto the No. 4 spot among Britain’s top sellers in February. Demand is sticking around, but clearly not as robust as before.
Numbers out from New Automotive, released just the day before, pointed in a similar direction. The group reported Tesla UK sales plunging 45.2% in February to 2,208 cars, while BYD’s battery-electric tally jumped 40.9% to 968. New Automotive and SMMT rely on different data and methodologies, though.
The UK market isn’t letting up. SMMT chief Mike Hawes noted that while EV volumes continue to rise, the share is still “disappointing.” He cautioned uptake will have to “accelerate rapidly” as automakers pour money into meeting regulatory targets. SMMT
Maria Bengtsson, who leads mobility for EY in the UK and Ireland, warned that ongoing geopolitical turmoil threatens to “become a barrier to further growth,” especially if supply chains suffer and lead times stretch out. For Tesla and its competitors, that’s the core challenge right now: March sales can be volatile—buyers in Britain often hold off for that fresh number plate. But if Chinese automakers continue grabbing market share at a pace Tesla can’t match on deliveries, Tesla’s prospects for a European rebound could prove shakier than this week’s uneven sales figures imply. EY
