Tesla sales slow down again as anti-Musk boycott continues

The sales of Tesla electric cars fell sharply in the last three months as boycotts over Elon Musk's political views continue to keep buyers away, a significant development given expectations that anger with the company's billionaire CEO would have faded by now.

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The company reported a 13 per cent plunge in sales on Wednesday in a sign that Musk's embrace of US President Donald Trump and far-right politicians in Europe has had a deep and enduring impact on Tesla's brand appeal.

The new figures show rival electric-vehicle makers have wasted no time to pounce on the company's weakness to steal market share and suggest Tesla's quarterly earnings report later this month could also disappoint.

Sales fell to 384,122 in April through June, down from 443,956 in the same three months last year. During the latest period, Musk formally left the Trump administration as a cost-cutting czar, and hopes rose that sales would recover. Musk himself recently said that Tesla was in the midst of a “major rebound” in sales.