Musk Loses Americans’ Trust — Two-Thirds of Buyers Reject Tesla
A large-scale YouGov and Yahoo News survey has revealed a dramatic decline in Tesla’s popularity among American consumers. The results show that 67% of potential buyers categorically refuse to consider purchasing electric vehicles from this brand, with Elon Musk’s personality and behavior cited as the main reason.
Public Opinion and Tesla’s Future in the US
A large-scale YouGov and Yahoo News survey has revealed an unprecedented drop in trust for Tesla among American consumers. The study shows that two-thirds of potential buyers categorically refuse to purchase electric vehicles from this brand due to Elon Musk’s controversial behavior.
The billionaire’s controversial appearance at Trump’s inauguration, where he made a gesture resembling a Nazi salute, sparked outrage and led to a mass boycott of his companies’ products. The consequences are already evident: there’s a significant exodus of users from the X/Twitter platform, the Canadian government terminated an important contract with Starlink, and Tesla sales have experienced a substantial decline, particularly in the European market.
Detailed survey results show:
- 67% of Americans categorically rule out the possibility of purchasing a Tesla
- Only 18% consider buying these electric vehicles
- 13% are undecided
- 2% are already Tesla owners
Notably, 37% of respondents directly point to Musk’s personality as the main reason for rejecting the brand: 20% cited his behavior as the determining factor, while another 17% consider him part of the overall negative perception of Tesla.
Particularly concerning for the company is that Musk’s negative approval rating has reached 55% among all Americans, while only 39% view him positively. Notably, the greatest disappointment is shown by Republican Party supporters (32%), ahead of Democrats (30%) and independent voters (27%).
The reputational crisis has already led to a noticeable drop in Tesla’s stock value and mass rejection of the brand’s electric vehicle purchases in Europe, jeopardizing the company’s future in the international market.
Tesla’s reputational crisis demonstrates how a leader’s personality can significantly impact brand success. Elon Musk’s recent scandals and controversial statements have created serious obstacles for the company’s development in key markets.
