Elon Musk’s increasingly controversial reputation among US liberals has become so polarized that it turns away not only from Tesla, but from electric vehicles at all.
A new study published this week in the newspaper Nature Examined whether Musk perceptions made Teslas more polarize than other EVs. The researchers conducted a series of surveys beginning in November 2023 to March 2025. In each, participants were asked, whether they would consider buying either Tesla or unspecified ev.
“Liberals have shown diminishing intentions to buy Teslas compared to other EVs, and, to a lesser extent, declining intentions to buy EVs in general,” the researchers wrote.
They added that the effect is linked to negative perceptions of Musk, especially because he encompasses a more conservative public person.
The study encompasses the period before and after Elon Musk went all over US politics, starting before he publicly supported Donald Trump and continuing his brief role in the Trump administration.
Musk first supported Trump on July 13, the same day as Trump’s murder attempt.
“I fully approve of President Trump and hope for his speedy recovery,” Musk wrote on X.
He ended up spending $ 277 million Support Trump and other Republican candidates. His America Pac also arranged controversial Canvassing Operationwith reports of severe working conditions and impossible to meet quotas.
Following Trump’s victory in November 2024, Musk was struck to lead the newly formed department of government performance (DOGE). Under Musk’s leadership, Doge declined funding and removed jobs at numerous federal agencies, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Some global health experts estimate that cuts to the anti-HIV/AIDS programs have resulted in more than 90,000 deaths worldwide.
Musk later had a high -profile fall with Trump and retired from Doge, but damage to his reputation, especially among Liberals, was already done. His current attempts to launch a A new political party still have to gain any actual traction.
And probably most critical for Musk, Tesla sales continue to fall. The study noted that Conservatives are not yet in EVs, which means there are not enough new buyers to compensate for the liberals who are leaving.
Earlier this month, Tesla reported that its car sales fell 13% a year after a year in the second quarter. And in Europe, Tesla has Stopped taking new orders For its Model S and Model X vehicles, according to Electrek.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for Gizmodo comment.
The study researchers noted that in subsequent surveys, liberal participants were noticeably less supporting EVs than they were in earlier iterations, especially when they held negative views of Musk. This “Tesla Backlash Effect”, combined with the constant dislike of conservatives, suggests that a polarizing general manager can hurt not only his own brand, but an entire industry.
