Tesla is bringing its electric cars to oil-rich Saudi Arabia amid falling global sales
By Anna Cooban, CNN
London (CNN) — Tesla will start selling its electric vehicles in Saudi Arabia, entering the Gulf region’s largest economy as the company’s global sales are sliding and CEO Elon Musk courts controversy with his role in the US government.
The carmaker announced Wednesday that it would host a launch event in the kingdom on April 10, where it will showcase its EVs. Attendees will also have the chance to “experience the future of autonomous driving with Cybercab and meet Optimus, our humanoid robot, as we showcase what’s next in AI and robotics,” Tesla (TSLA) said.
Tesla may struggle to gain market share in oil-rich Saudi Arabia as EVs make up a little over 1% of all car sales in the country, according to a report by consultancy PwC published in September.
Tesla’s entry into the new market comes as the company fights battles on several fronts.
Last year, it recorded the first annual decline in sales in its history as a public company, posting a drop of 1%.
The company is facing intensifying competition in China, the world’s largest auto market. On Tuesday, BYD, a Chinese maker of electric and hybrid cars, reported $107 billion in annual sales for 2024, beating the near-$98 billion notched by Tesla.
And last week, BYD unveiled an ultra-fast charging system, which it said was capable of adding 250 miles (402 km) of range in just five minutes, easily outdoing Tesla’s charging technology. Tesla’s Superchargers take 15 minutes to charge an EV, providing a range of 200 miles.
Tesla has also suffered slumping sales in Europe. In February, the carmaker sold around 40% fewer vehicles on the continent compared with the same month in 2024, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association.
In the United States, Tesla’s home-turf, Musk’s contentious government role — which has involved slashing thousands of public sector jobs as head of the Department of Government Efficiency — has also turned off many would-be Tesla buyers. Prices for used Teslas are tanking even as interest in used EVs overall rises.
The billionaire’s actions in government have sparked a spate of vandalism against Tesla showrooms, charging stations and vehicles in the US, so much so that the FBI announced Monday that it had created a task force to “crack down on violent Tesla attacks.”
There have also been peaceful protests at many Tesla sites, with demonstrators holding signs and chanting “Elon Musk has got to go” in reference to his government job.
These headaches have convinced many investors to dump Tesla’s stock. Shares in the company have cratered 40% since hitting an all-time high in December.
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