Tesla sales in Europe are continuing to decline rapidly, and it appears the pain is just beginning for the automaker. The numbers for July are coming in from Europe and Tesla registrations are down 41.6% despite EV sales surging across the continent.
The data shows that the free-fall decline in sales that we saw in the first half of 2025 is continuing into the second half, despite Tesla falsely claiming that the issue in the first quarter was the Model Y changeover limiting supply.
Fortescue’s recent decision to abandon two major hydrogen-for-energy projects after reaching a Final Investment Decision (FID) serves as an important signal for policymakers around the world, particularly in the UK, which is still pretending its autumn hydrogen strategy update will be evidence led.
These cancellations, one located in Gladstone, Australia, and another in Arizona, represent more than just isolated setbacks. Hydrogen as an energy source, as opposed to its use as an industrial feedstock, is increasingly failing under scrutiny across the globe
US energy policy under the Trump administration, particularly the removal of certain hydrogen-related subsidies, has led to uncertainty which has in turn quickly revealed the true economics of hydrogen production. With the incentives removed, the project’s already tenuous financial viability vanished, prompting Fortescue to write off approximately $150 million in pre-tax losses.
The May 2025 issue of the Alternative Power Report contains articles on Volvo’s launch of the world’s first electric articulated Hauler, Aeson Power’s new sodium battery products, the IMO votes on the first-ever global carbon price on shipping, and a report on CATL’s next generation batteries. Read it all here. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast and Technology Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
The April 2025 issue of Guy Youngs’ Alternative Power Report presents articles on Tesla sales and other activities. It also contains several reports on battery development . PSR
Reports came out in late December that workers building a BYD factory in Brazil were working in “slavery” conditions and were potentially victims of human trafficking. Without a doubt, something horrible was going on. How much BYD knew or didn’t know, we don’t know, but the company has now terminated its subcontractor, Jinjiang Construction Brazil.
“Brazilian authorities have halted the construction of a factory for Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD, saying workers lived in conditions comparable to ‘slavery’,” BBC reported. “More than 160 workers have been rescued in Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia, according to a statement from the Public Labor Prosecutor’s Office (MPT).
The number of EVs sold across Europe fell by 3% to 3m during 2024, according to the latest data. This has come after the withdrawal of government tax breaks triggered a collapse in sales across Germany. The drop in Europe compared to a 40% surge in China, where 11m EVs were purchased. Sales across North America also rose 9% to 1.8m.
Volkswagen is considering keeping its German plants up and running while reinstating job security agreements until 2030, with the tradeoff being that workers would forgo bonus payments, according to an anonymous source.
The December 2024 issue of the Alternative Power Report published by Power Systems Research includes articles the successful trends in Chinese EV production, Mercedes’ solar paint product for EVs, new research on sodium-ion batteries and the development of rotary engines powered by hydrogen. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast and Technology Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
The recent USA presidential elections suggest that the USA will embrace its status as the world’s leading gasoline state, while previous gasoline states like Saudi Arabia plough vast sums into the energy of the future, renewables.
The USA ceded manufacturing of the technologies required for fighting climate change — solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, electric vehicles, heat pumps, transformers, and more — to other countries, mostly China, over the past 40 years.
Under President Biden, the USA enacted massive and unprecedented tariffs to protect the remaining industries, working to keep American money at home. President-elect Donald Trump apparently will increase tariffs, according to statements he and other Republicans have made over the past year. These tariffs would be placed on imports from long-standing free-trade neighbors like Canada and Mexico.
PSR Analysis: If President-elect Trump does take America down this path, there is a suggestion that US alternative power/renewables industries will follow the fate of US innovation. Until recently, the USA led the world in innovation, but now foreign students are returning to their countries and being welcomed to do research with big budgets. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
With the US history as automobile leaders of the 1900s, it is easy to assume the US will continue being the automotive leader globally and especially domestically. However, the US is rapidly being outmaneuvered, out-innovated, and left in the dust by its Chinese competitors – particularly in the field of EVs.
This article brings together several stories relating to the automotive market with particular emphasis on BYD.
Overall, Chinese electric cars are leading the US auto industry, and it’s hard to imagine that story won’t get even more imbalanced in the coming four years with President-elect Donald Trump slowing US progress on EVs.
PSR Analysis: In China, there seems to be a real appetite for innovation, change and growth which seems to be lacking in Europe and the US. Many western auto brands are overpricing their vehicles and cancelling the most affordable models. This short-term outlook may be the end of these brands, as they are struggling to be relevant in today’s market. PSR
Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research
