Tesla Inc., the US-based company specialising in electric vehicles and energy solutions, has submitted an official application to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) to obtain a licence to distribute electricity in the United Kingdom. According to the regulator’s website, the application, dated July 18, is signed by Andrew Payne, Tesla’s Director of Energy for Europe.
Previous operations only in Texas
This is Tesla’s first attempt to supply electricity directly to households outside the United States, where the company already operates in the Texas market. In 2020, it obtained a UK licence to generate electricity, notably through its solar panels, but without authorisation to sell directly to consumers.
The company has not publicly commented on this new initiative. Contacted by Agence France-Presse, it had not responded to requests as of the morning of August 11. Tesla is also active in battery energy storage and in the development of photovoltaic solutions.
Commercial context and competitive pressures
Analyst Susannah Streeter of Hargreaves Lansdown stated that this move is part of a strategy for greater diversification in the United Kingdom. According to her, Tesla is evolving towards a broader role in energy infrastructure and robotics, beyond automotive manufacturing.
This announcement comes as Tesla’s global car sales fell in the second quarter, affected by growing competition in the electric vehicle market and by the consequences of Elon Musk’s cooperation with the Donald Trump administration. In the United Kingdom, registrations dropped from 2,462 units in July 2024 to 987 in July 2025, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
