Tesla posted lower sales across five European countries in January, including the United Kingdom and France, as competitors with newer models gained on the electric vehicle maker and polls show public opinion souring on CEO Elon Musk. Musk has made a high-profile foray into politics, with much of his 2024 dominated by his financial support of Donald Trump, on whom the billionaire CEO spent $250 million in what proved a successful campaign to return to the White House. Tesla's UK sales fell nearly 12% in January, even as monthly EV registrations in Europe's biggest battery-electric market surged to a record, according to data published by New AutoMotive on Tuesday.