In recent years, Tesla has been the poster child for electric vehicles in the US. However, the company's popularity has plummeted since CEO Elon Musk became involved in politics. Although Musk may have scaled back his political activities, according to a new report by Wired magazine, Tesla's sales have yet to recover as of the second quarter of 2025 — despite the re-release of the Model Y with a brand-new design.
What's happening?
The Model Y is Tesla's best-selling vehicle, accounting for about two-thirds of the company's car sales, Wired revealed. But last year, it lost its spot as the world's top-selling vehicle to a Toyota. This is in line with plummeting sales at Tesla overall.
Musk may have hoped to boost sales with a facelift for the Model Y, which was released in January this year. However, this effort was unsuccessful. Tesla's sales fell 9% year-on-year in the first quarter and nearly 15% year-on-year in the second quarter.
Although Tesla does not release specific sales figures for individual regions or models of vehicles, Wired has made some educated guesses about Model Y sales based on the experience of buyers.
In the past, when sales were strong, buyers had to wait quite a long time to receive their new cars, but recent buyers have been able to receive their Model Y cars almost immediately, even though Tesla's factories are not operating at full capacity. This suggests that the model is not performing well, possibly because the changes are minor and limited to the exterior.
The Model Y "is not a new car," according to Jay Nagley from automotive consultancy Redspy, as quoted by Wired. "It's a heavy facelift. If it doesn't look new, then people don't think it's new. You can't order people to think differently; not even Elon Musk can do that."
Why is Tesla's performance important?
Ultimately, the performance of a single automaker is not the full picture of EV sales in the U.S. Sales are slightly down this year, but only by 6.3%, per Wired. That's a number that could easily bounce back.
This is a positive development, as electric vehicles are an important part of the solution to greenhouse gas pollution on Earth. The rise in global temperatures has reached a critical point, and we must purify the atmosphere to prevent overheating. Switching to electric vehicles instead of gasoline-powered cars is one of the best ways to reduce our individual negative impact on the planet.
What's being done about electric car sales?
Tesla is not the only option on the international market. China, in particular, is a market brimming with innovative vitality, with new models being launched every 18 months. Many electric vehicles feature more advanced technology and are more affordable.
In the US, although the selection is not as extensive as in China, there are still many reliable options available if you want to drive a car with lower fuel costs and a smaller environmental footprint. And these options will continue to grow.
