The global sales of U.S. electric carmaker Tesla plunged nearly 13 percent in the first quarter of this year, the worst since 2022, as demand for the company's electric cars continues to weaken.
It came after the EV giant announced its first quarter delivery numbers on Wednesday, and in the words of Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, "they were a disaster on every metric."
Tesla reported deliveries of around 337,000 vehicles globally from January to March this year. That is down about 50,000 vehicles in the same period just one year ago, a fall of 13 percent.
The decline comes despite big discounts, zero financing and other incentives.
Many analysts had expected nearly 70,000 more deliveries.
European markets have continued a downward trend for Tesla sales, as new registrations in France dropped 37 percent and in Sweden 64 percent.
In China, Tesla appears to be losing momentum too, as sales in March there were down 11.5 percent from a year ago. This is due to fierce competition with Chinese EV brands like BYD and Geely, which both reported a surge in sales last month from the same period of 2024.
In a press release, Tesla said the changeover of Model Y lines across its factories led to the loss of several weeks of production, yet there was no mention of the brand crisis that it's currently experiencing.
The past weekend saw more than 200 protests at Tesla dealerships across the United States and other demonstrations around the world, including in Canada and Europe. That stems from anger over Musk's role in the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency.
Tesla's Q1 sales plunge to 3-year low
Tesla's Q1 sales plunge to 3-year low
Tesla's Q1 sales plunge to 3-year low
The cherry blossom-themed trains on China's first suspended monorail line in Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei Province, have attracted numerous tourists with their floral carriage decorations and a unique opportunity to view pink blossoms from a stunning aerial perspective.
From early March to April, Wuhan transforms into a floral wonderland as cherry blossoms blanket the city in soft pinks and whites. The "sky trains" are adorned with cherry blossom elements inside the carriages, providing tourists with an immersive experience.
"Capturing the monorail train from this angle enables it to be framed together with cherry blossoms, creating a very romantic scene," said a tourist.
"I think the monorail train is very advanced, refreshing, and truly impressive," said another tourist.
The suspended monorail line, which opened to the public in September 2023, spans a total distance of 10.5 kilometers, features six stations, and passes through the Optics Valley Ecological Corridor.
Dubbed "the Optics Valley Photon," the monorail train appears to hang upside down because the track is positioned above. Passengers can enjoy the city from an entirely different perspective through the glass floor beneath their feet.
The entire operation process of the monorail train is fully automated and requires no human intervention.
"At that time, we sought to have a fast sightseeing tool throughout the entire green corridor, which is a fundamental facility for the corridor. Since its operation in September 2023 until now, our total passenger traffic has reached 2.1 million people," said Yang Qingmei, director of the planning and design department at Optics Valley Traffic Company, the operator of the line.
"In other cities, there are no trains hanging above the tracks, and the carriages underneath are suspended, allowing passengers to see the scenery below their feet, which is particularly novel," said Tong Le, a tourist.
Futuristic "sky trains" in China's Wuhan allure tourists with cherry blossom-themed decor
