A French entrepreneur, who was planning to buy 15 Tesla electric vehicles (EV), has pulled the plug on the deal citing concerns over US President Donald Trump's environmental policies.
Romain Roy, the CEO of Roy Energie Group, has been buying new Tesla cars since 2021. This year, he decided to purchase European-made EVs from Mercedes, Volkswagen, and Peugeot. They cost an average of Rs 9 lakh more than Tesla models. As a photovoltaic panel manufacturer, Mr Roy's company has been using Tesla cars for several years. Mr Roy's decision came after US President Donald Trump decided to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
The US policies under Trump and Elon Musk, effectively the second-in-command, prompted him to cancel the order. “Trump really looks like a bully who tries in every way to intimidate, threaten others to get his way,” he told The Associated Press. “I will fight against that kind of thing.”
"We bought about thirty electric cars last November, including fifteen Teslas" the French CEO told La Republica, adding, "I decided to cancel the Tesla order in January."
"They're screwing with the environment. They're cowboys; they won't get my dollars. We have to fight their moralising about the environment, about Europe. The United States wants to wage a trade war, notably with higher customs tariffs. I'm stopping supporting that regime through purchases," he said.
They only have money on their lips; they don't think about the environment, Mr Roy added.
Due to shifts in US foreign and environmental policy, businesses in Europe are reassessing their relationships with American firms, which is in line with Mr Roy's decision to cancel his Tesla order.
Mr Trump's hardline foreign policy stances, such as his threats to take Greenland have sparked a boycott movement in Denmark to avoid US goods.
The popularity of European items has increased, while Tesla sales have noticeably decreased as a result of Danish consumers actively looking for alternatives to American brands.
Last week, Mr Trump bought a Tesla Model S with Mr Musk by his side. The entrepreneur helped the Republican leader pick up the car on the White House driveway. The vehicle was purchased as a gesture of support for Musk's electric car company, which, in the recent past, has witnessed tumbling sales and stocks.
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