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Musk recently admitted to having “great difficulty” dividing his time between Tesla and his government duties—remarks that did little to calm shareholders.Tesla shares closed 5per cent lower at $221.86 on Tuesday, extending their 2025 decline to 45per cent and pushing the stock nearly 55per cent below its all-time high of $488.54 set in mid-December. The electric vehicle maker has now lost nearly $584 billion in market value this year as mounting competitive, political and operational pressures intensify.
The latest wave of selling comes amid weak delivery numbers, rising geopolitical tensions, and CEO Elon Musk’s deepening involvement in politics—an unusual convergence of risks that’s weighing on investor confidence and raising questions about the company’s near-term trajectory.
BYD’s new charging tech undercuts Tesla in China
Tesla’s edge in EV infrastructure is under threat. In March, Chinese rival BYD unveiled a next-generation fast-charging station that delivers 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) of range in just five minutes—well ahead of Tesla’s top-end Supercharger performance.
BYD, which outsold Tesla in battery EVs last quarter, plans to roll out 4,000 of these new chargers across China. The development adds to the competitive pressure on Tesla, especially in a market that accounts for 22per cent of its revenue. In February, Tesla’s China sales plunged 49per cent from a year earlier to 30,688 vehicles, its worst monthly performance since August 2022.
Tariff crossfire mounts pressure
Tesla’s China exposure is under renewed threat following an escalation in trade tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of 34per cent “reciprocal” tariffs on Chinese imports—higher than many analysts had expected—prompted an immediate response from Beijing, which imposed matching 34per cent tariffs on U.S. goods.
The tit-for-tat measures are particularly significant for Tesla, which not only depends on China for a fifth of its revenue but also operates its most productive manufacturing facility in the country. While the company sources most components locally, potentially softening the direct impact of tariffs, the broader conflict casts a shadow over consumer sentiment and brand perception in one of Tesla’s most important markets.
Global demand shows signs of strain
Tesla’s first-quarter deliveries came in at 336,681 vehicles—down 13per cent from a year earlier and missing even the low end of consensus estimates. It marks the worst quarterly drop in the company’s history.
In Europe, the picture is even bleaker. January sales fell 45per cent year-on-year, and the trend worsened in February, with registrations in Germany plunging 76per cent. In contrast, rival BYD reported a 39per cent jump in global EV sales in the first quarter, reinforcing concerns that Tesla is losing share in key international markets.
Elon Musk’s political role fuels backlash
Investor anxiety is also growing over Elon Musk’s increased involvement in politics. As head of the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk has faced mounting criticism, with some blaming his alignment with far-right causes in the U.S. and Europe for a consumer backlash.
Tesla has seen targeted protests at showrooms and vandalism at some charging stations in Europe. Deliveries in the region fell 49per cent in the first two months of the year. In the U.S., repeat purchases by Tesla owners have dropped to 65per cent in Democrat-leaning states, while holding steady at 48per cent in Republican ones.
Musk recently admitted to having “great difficulty” dividing his time between Tesla and his government duties—remarks that did little to calm shareholders.
A shifting narrative
The Tesla story has changed. Once a market darling prized for its innovation and vision, the company now faces a thicket of challenges: slowing demand, intensifying competition, geopolitical risk, and a distracted CEO. While its long-term bets on AI and robotics remain intact, the company’s core EV business is under pressure—and for now, investors are voting with their feet.
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