Elon Musk’s controversial public persona is pushing some potential buyers away from Tesla, according to recent reports.
Wait, you voted “No” to Elon’s comp package, sold Tesla stock during the fall, and now that the stock has run up 44% since the annual shareholder meeting, you don’t want to seem like a fool, so you say “It's hard not to be a bull long-term on Tesla"?
— Teslaconomics (@Teslaconomics) July 10, 2024
Analysts and car owners suggest that Musk’s increasingly right-wing political views alienate liberal and left-leaning customers, who are more likely to purchase electric vehicles. Tesla announced that its global sales fell 4.8 percent in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, following an 8.5 percent drop in the previous quarter.
Ben Rose, president of Battle Road Research, said, “Musk is a true lightning rod. Some people swear by him, and people swear at him.
Musk’s politics hurt Tesla sales
Elon really did the unthinkable by getting both Tesla & SpaceX to where they are today, no one in their right mind would have attempted doing this pic.twitter.com/x8N3FYupt1
— Teslaconomics (@Teslaconomics) July 9, 2024
Some of his comments are a real turnoff for some people, enough to make them buy another brand.”
I asked @Tesla owners their favourite aspects of owning a Tesla, here’s what they came up with:
A 🧵 pic.twitter.com/RgCyLnfddt
— Nic Cruz Patane (@niccruzpatane) July 8, 2024
A questionnaire revealed that some respondents were offended by Musk’s perceived extreme views and management style, particularly his handling of Twitter since acquiring the company in 2022. Critics were upset by his decision to lay off employees and remove content moderation guardrails. Aaron Shepherd, a product designer at Microsoft in Seattle, plans to buy an electric Volkswagen ID.4 instead of a Tesla, stating, “You’re basically driving around a giant red MAGA hat.”
Musk’s increasingly friendly relations with former President Donald J. Trump and other conservative personalities were also cited as concerns. Tesla and a company board representative did not respond to requests for comment. As Musk’s public persona continues to evolve, how it will impact Tesla’s sales in the long run remains to be seen.
Noah Nguyen is a multi-talented developer who brings a unique perspective to his craft. Initially a creative writing professor, he turned to Dev work for the ability to work remotely. He now lives in Seattle, spending time hiking and drinking craft beer with his fiancee.
