Tesla Seeks Licence to Supply Power to UK Homes
Tesla, the electric vehicle and clean energy company founded by Elon Musk, has applied for regulatory approval to supply electricity to households and businesses across Britain.
The application, submitted late last month to the UK’s energy regulator Ofgem, was signed by Andrew Payne, head of Tesla’s European energy operations. If approved, the licence would allow the firm to enter the retail energy market in England, Scotland and Wales, potentially launching as early as next year.
Best known for its electric cars, Tesla also has a growing solar and battery storage division. The company already runs Tesla Electric in Texas, a programme that offers cheaper EV charging and rewards customers for sending surplus electricity back into the grid.
With more than 250,000 electric cars and tens of thousands of home storage batteries sold in the UK, Tesla would have an immediate base of potential customers for its energy service. Ofgem typically takes up to nine months to process licence applications.
The move comes at a time when Tesla’s vehicle sales in Europe have slowed sharply. UK registrations for the brand dropped nearly 60% in July, while sales in Germany fell by over 55%, according to industry figures. Across 10 major European markets, the company’s sales were down 45% for the month.
Tesla faces growing competition from global EV manufacturers, including China’s BYD, and has also navigated political controversies involving Musk, whose public disputes and political affiliations have drawn criticism in some European markets.
Tesla has not publicly commented on its UK application.
