Add Australia to the list of countries where Tesla sales are sliding

• Tesla sales in Australia fell 71% in February compared with the same month last year.
• The drop comes as the country also experienced Tesla-related vandalism incidents.
• European countries and China reported declines in Tesla sales last month.

Tesla sales are sliding in another market.

Elon Musk's automaker sold 1,592 vehicles in Australia last month, down from 5,665 in February 2024 — a 71% decline, per figures from the Electric Vehicle Council.

Rival Polestar also suffered a decline of 11% last month, selling 125 vehicles.

The decline for Tesla comes amid vandalism aimed at Musk. A Tesla store in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, was vandalized with graffiti including "Down with DOGE," news.com.au reported this week.

Tesla and Musk protests have taken place in a number of US cities, with some of them leading to vandalism and arrests. Anti-Tesla boycott attempts have also taken place in Portugal and the UK.

Australia joins a number of European countries reporting declines in Tesla sales. Tesla's February total in Germany fell 76% year-on-year, despite overall EV sales rising about 31%. Tesla sales in the country also fell in January amid Musk's endorsement of the far-right AfD party.

Tesla sales declined more than 40% year-on-year in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden last month, with a 26% slide in France.

Sales of Teslas manufactured in China fell 49% year on year in February to their lowest number since August 2022. Tesla's Chinese rival BYD posted a 90% increase the same month.

Tesla stock has had a rollercoaster ride this year, plunging 15% on Monday before regaining some ground on Wednesday to be about 34% lower this year.

As Tesla grapples with a slumping stock price and declining sales, some investors have expressed concerns that Musk's increased political involvement may be contributing to its struggles. However, some analysts have told BI that stock volatility is normal for the company, and some of the headwinds were expected.

Tesla warned there would be lost production time as plants retool for the Model Y refresh.

The model lineup is aging and increasingly showing up in the used car market. Some potential buyers may also be waiting for Tesla's cheaper EV to arrive later this later.