--- title: "Tesla Just Got Some Absolutely Horrible News" description: "Elon Musk's Tesla has posted its first-quarter deliveries — and the numbers are even worse than analysts feared." date: "2025-04-02" modified: "2025-04-02" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/tesla-2025-q1-sales-results-worse-expected" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "elon musk" - "evs" - "tesla" --- # Tesla Just Got Some Absolutely Horrible News ![Elon Musk's Tesla has posted its first-quarter deliveries — and the numbers are even worse than analysts feared.]() *\Image: Scott Olson/Getty Images\* Elon Musk's Tesla has posted its first-quarter deliveries — and the numbers are even worse than analysts feared. The carmaker said it delivered 336,681 vehicles for the January-March period, a massive 13 percent drop from 386,810 cars over the same period last year. It's a rout, in other words, showing that [rapidly growing competition]() and an international movement [opposing Musk's politics]() are exerting considerable pressure on the once-ascendant electric carmaker. Sales haven't been this low since the second quarter of 2022, as [*Bloomberg* reports](). The company's shares slid by around five percent when markets opened on Wednesday. As [*Reuters* reports](), the Q1 numbers are even worse than the average estimates of 15 analysts from the firm Visible Alpha, who forecasted the company would report 372,410 vehicles delivered. Estimates compiled by *Bloomberg* expected Tesla to sell more than 390,000 cars and trucks. The EV maker is [already in dire straits](), with sales in Europe and many other parts of the world [tanking](). Musk has taken increasingly [desperate measures to pump]() the company's flailing stock, which has seen considerable volatility since president Donald Trump was elected. In his latest attempt, Musk [tried to distract]() from the disastrous numbers by showing off a video of the company's Optimus robot walking this morning, arguing that it will be the "biggest product of all time." Musk also tried to claim that the Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in China, in an apparent attempt to paint its latest redesign of the SUV as a success. However, the vehicle has only been on the market for a single month and is already being offered with zero percent financing, as [*Electrek* points out](). Trump has added to the chaos with his trade war, most recently announcing a 25 percent tariff on all cars, light trucks and auto parts imported into the US. The move is [expected to be "devastating]()" for the auto industry. While Musk has [argued]() that "tariff impact on Tesla is still significant," experts have [pointed out]() that the company could fare a lot better than its competitors thanks to its formidable manufacturing presence in the US. Meanwhile, Musk's continued gutting of the federal government has proven extremely divisive, sparking global backlash and leading to largely peaceful — and [occasionally violent]() — demonstrations at dealerships. And zooming out, Musk's [abhorrent behavior]() has left a major black mark on the company's brand, with Tesla owners trying to [ditch their vehicles in record numbers](). It's the second major defeat for the mercurial CEO this week. After spending $25 million — and even [wearing a cheesehead]() during a rally — trying to secure a pivotal seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, liberal [candidate judge Susan Crawford easily beat Musk's pick](), judge Brad Schimel, in an election on Tuesday. **More on Tesla:** *[It's Never Been More Over For Tesla]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()