Tesla posted lower sales across five European countries in January, including the United Kingdom and France, as competitors with newer models gained on the electric vehicle maker and polls show public opinion souring on CEO Elon Musk.

Some media outlets have linked the company’s cratering sales to its CEO’s growing unpopularity. That would make sense, since Musk has spent the last several months openly meddling in political systems all over Europe.

Tesla sales are dropping like a rock in Europe based on early sales numbers coming for January 2025. Many are linking this to dissatisfaction with CEO Elon Musk’s meddling in European politics. While there’s undoubtedly some of that going on, it’s not the only factor.