Tesla’s new car sales in Spain more than doubled in May, reflecting strong demand for the electric vehicle maker’s products in one of Europe’s key automotive markets.
Registration data released by industry group ANFAC on Monday showed that Tesla sold 1,690 vehicles in Spain during May, representing a 112.8% increase compared with the same month last year.
Spain sales growth continues in 2026
The strong monthly performance added to Tesla’s gains in the Spanish market this year.
According to ANFAC data, Tesla vehicle sales in Spain increased 43.8% during the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.
The broader electrified vehicle market also posted significant growth.
Total sales of electrified vehicles, including both fully electric vehicles and hybrid models, rose 43.6% during the same period.
The figures indicate that demand for electrified vehicles continued to expand in Spain, with Tesla recording growth broadly in line with the wider market trend.
Tesla shares slip in premarket trading
Despite the strong sales figures from Spain, Tesla shares declined in premarket trading on Monday.
Tesla stock was down 1.3% before the opening bell.
By comparison, futures tied to the S&P 500 were up 0.3%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gained 0.4%.
The weakness in Tesla shares followed comments from OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman regarding the company’s plans to expand into robotics.
OpenAI signals entry into robotics market
On Sunday, Altman announced that OpenAI is recruiting talent to accelerate the development of its robotics business.
“AI should be able to help people in the physical world,” Altman wrote.
He added, “In the short term, we are focused on robots to support skilled workers to build our future infrastructure; in the long term, we imagine everyone having a personal robot doing anything they need.”
The comments suggest OpenAI intends to become a participant in the emerging robotics industry, a sector that Tesla has increasingly identified as a major long-term growth opportunity.
Competition in humanoid robots
Tesla has been placing greater emphasis on artificial intelligence-related businesses, including self-driving vehicles, robotaxis, and its humanoid robot programme known as Optimus.
The company recently stopped selling its Model S and Model X luxury sport utility vehicles in order to convert production capacity at its Fremont, California facility for humanoid robot manufacturing.
Investors are also awaiting details on the third generation of Tesla’s Optimus robot, which is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
OpenAI’s planned expansion into robotics could increase competition in a market that remains at an early stage of development.
Industry participants are still selling relatively small numbers of functional humanoid robots.
Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk has previously predicted that the global population of humanoid robots could one day exceed the number of humans.
Rivalry between Musk and Altman continues
The latest development adds another chapter to the long-running rivalry between Musk and Altman.
The two executives have previously clashed over the direction of OpenAI.
Musk sued Altman over OpenAI’s transition from a charitable organisation to a for-profit company.
However, Altman ultimately prevailed in that legal dispute after a jury rejected Musk’s claims, with one factor being that Musk had waited too long to bring the lawsuit.
As OpenAI moves deeper into robotics, investors will be watching closely to see how increased competition affects Tesla’s ambitions in what Musk has described as one of the company’s most important future businesses.
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