Tesla's European sales fell sharply last month, dropping 49%, based on data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association.

April's sales of vehicles from Elon Musk's company were down by 49 percent compared to the same time last year.

In one sign that Tesla appears to be losing ground to cut-price Chinese brands, sales at China's SAIC zoomed up 54% in April, according to the ACEA figures. SAIC owns a slew of auto brands including U.K.-based MG, known for its low-cost EV models.