Tesla has introduced a more affordable variant of its Model 3 sedan in Europe amid efforts to boost sales, following declining demand for electric vehicles and public reactions to Elon Musk’s political engagements.
Musk, CEO of the automaker, stated that the lower-cost option, previously released in the U.S. last October, aims to broaden buyer appeal.
The Model 3 Standard is priced at €37,970 in Germany, 330,056 Norwegian kroner, and 449,990 Swedish kronor. This follows the European and U.S. debut of a competitively priced Model Y SUV, Tesla’s top-selling vehicle.
European sales have dropped as Tesla faces heightened competition from Chinese manufacturer BYD, which surpassed the U.S. firm in regional sales for the first time this spring.
Demand in the EU has also been impacted by customer disapproval of Musk’s alignment with Donald Trump’s political agenda. As head of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), Musk oversaw extensive staff reductions but resigned in May after disagreements over fiscal policy.
Further controversies, including Musk’s apparent use of a Nazi gesture at a Trump event, endorsement of Germany’s far-right AfD party, and allegations against political figures, have contributed to consumer alienation.
Recent U.K. budget measures imposing new taxes on electric vehicles risk dampening demand, analysts warn. November saw the slowest growth in U.K. EV sales in two years, rising just 3.6%, according to industry data.
Mike Hawes of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders remarked, “This signals that rising EV demand cannot be assumed. Every incentive to adopt these vehicles should be prioritized, not penalized.”
Starting April 2028, U.K. drivers of electric cars will face a 3p-per-mile road tax, averaging £250 annually.
Read next
Brusselslaunches probe into Snapchat over child safety worries
Brussels has launched an inquiry into Snapchat after worries that the messaging service is exposing children to grooming, sexual abuse and other illegal activity.
In a separate ruling on Thursday, the European Commission also stated that four pornographic sites are not stopping minors from viewing adult material.
The probes targeting
Senior European reporter suspended for using AI‑generated quotations
The owner of the Dutch daily De Telegraaf and the Irish Independent has placed a senior reporter on leave for now after he confessed to employing artificial intelligence to “incorrectly attribute statements to individuals.”
Peter Vandermeersch, who previously led Mediahuis’s Irish division, said he “succumbed to hallucinations” – the label
Fire specialists stay alert as lithium‑ion battery risks rise
Lithium‑ion cells now pose a fresh technological risk, a fire‑science specialist admits keeps him restless at night, while fire‑service leaders caution that the proliferation of these cells in daily items is outstripping public awareness and safety rules.
The inferno that ravaged a historic Glasgow structure and forced