Elon Musk harming Tesla sales with political actions as millions of British drivers could opt for Chinese EVs

Over the last few years, Elon Musk has become more politically involved, buying social media site Twitter and renaming it X, throwing his support behind Reform UK and the Republican party, and boosting potentially controversial talking points.

Research shows that drivers who currently own an electric vehicle and those interested in buying one have claimed that Musk's influence would put them off from investing in a Tesla.

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In recent weeks, posts on social media have shown owners of Tesla vehicles with various stickers including: "I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy."

It now appears that prospective motorists are avoiding the brand altogether as a result of Musk's actions on social media, with Britons looking at other brands, specifically from China.

Chinese brands have made major headways in their influence across Europe and North America with BYD quickly becoming one of the most well-known electric vehicle brands in the world.

Ginny Buckley, chief executive of Electrifying.com, said there had been a "major shift" in consumer perceptions because of Musk's growing influence in motoring, politics and technology.

She added: "Tesla has played a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles, but our findings show that ElonMusk's personal involvement in Tesla's brand appears to be polarising, pushing many buyers to look elsewhere."

The study, from Electrifying.com, also found that 61 per cent of motorists said they would be happy to buy a car from a Chinese manufacturer, while 56 per cent of potential EV buyers said the same.

In 2024, Tesla's sales in 2024 fell for the first time in over a decade to 1.79 million cars. While this was a drop of just one per cent, it comes amid the backdrop of aggressive price cuts.

Drivers now also have more choice of electric vehicles than ever before, with 133 models on the market this year, compared to just 25 mainstay EVs on sale five years ago.

Tesla was the best-selling electric vehicle brand in the UK last year with data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showing that more than 50,000 EVs were registered.

Andy Palmer, founder of Palmer Energy, said: "On the matter of drivers turning away from Tesla due to the actions of its CEO, it is yet to be proven, yet it does show that people have enough choice now to comfortably switch if they choose.

"Tesla was a market leader, but the Model Y has slipped from the top spot. Tesla needs to think long and hard about its positioning and product offers if it wants to stop bleeding market share."

Some have accused Musk of not prioritising Tesla compared to his other endeavours including X, SpaceX and Neuralink. His new position in the US Government's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) may also take time away from Tesla.

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Elon Musk has attracted particular criticism since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, where many accused him of performing a Nazi salute, although he says he was "giving his love" to the audience.

More recently, Musk, who is estimated to be worth more than $422billion (£338billion), made a surprise virtual appearance at a rally of Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) voters in Halle, Germany.

He told members of the right-wing party that people should be "proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything".

The South African businessman added that children "should not be guilty of sins of their parents," in an apparent reference to the Nazis in Germany.