While Tesla’s global sales have taken a significant hit during the first quarter of 2025, the electric vehicle (EV) brand has seen a boost in sales in Ukraine.
Increased competition from lower-cost Chinese EV manufacturers have made Tesla prices more affordable for some Ukrainian consumers.
According to Ukraine's Association of Car Manufacturers, the demand for electric vehicles was on the rise in February and March, with Tesla leading in sales of used electric cars.
At a dealership in Kyiv, Anatoliy Trepak, a recent Tesla buyer, said that he’s still getting used to driving his new car. “It’s a big leap from a Skoda Superb, but that’s what I wanted,” he said.
The Ukrainian taxi driver said he paid just $18,000 for the used Tesla, a dramatic drop in cost from previous years.
“Two or three years ago, no [used] Tesla would sell for less than $40,000. Now you can buy a decent car for $20,000,” said Bohdan, a local car salesman working at the lot. “The entry barrier has decreased, and more people can now afford it,” he added.
Tesla vehicles have been vandalized in the US and Europe amid backlash over CEO Elon Musk’s role in US politics. At the dealership, Bohdan stands next to a wall covered in photos of Tesla cars sold from the lot. Next to the photos, a cardboard cutout of Musk has been placed in the corner facing the wall, “so he could think about his behavior, tweets, and the rest,” Bohdan said.
The Kyiv car dealer says some owners now want to sell their Teslas, but others don’t seem to want to take that step. Others have started placing humorous bumper stickers on their cars. One sticker reads, “I bought this Tesla before Elon went crazy.”
But Tesla owner Trepak says he does not associate Musk with the Tesla company.
“[Musk] did a good job creating the car and the company, and I thank him for that, but not for anything else," he said, "He's not acting like a decent man. He should have at least kept his opinions to himself.”
