Depressed Tesla owners say they’re so fed up with Elon Musk’s antics they’re ditching their cars

• Some Tesla owners are fed up with the electric car brand because of Elon Musk’s antics.
• Musk has always been outspoken, but lately he has become increasingly political and controversial.
• We spoke to three Tesla owners who said Musk made them rethink their relationship with the brand.

Bob Perkowitz, a former Tesla fanboy, was among the first few thousand people to reserve a Tesla. Model WILL back in 2009. He took delivery in 2012 and ended up upgrading to the 2017 version of the same sedan.

He also plans to buy a 2022 model. After that, everything went off the rails.

Perkowitz is one of many Tesla owners rethinking their brand loyalty as Elon Musk increasingly becomes a irregular and polar pattern Online. Tesla’s CEO has always been outspoken, but in recent months – and especially after he bought Twitter – the personality that his 125 million Twitter followers have transformed from a sometimes irreverent businessman, visionary into a visionary. more belligerent and political.

Tesla owners say Musk’s antics are becoming too much

Perkowitz’s newly discovered distaste for Tesla stems from what he says is Musk’s right-wing viewHis controversial acquisition of Twitter and his radical emphasis on free speech, which Perkowitz believes will allow misinformation to run rampant on Twitter.

“Elon is a really good reason to buy car“, Perkowitz told Insider. “He’s got a great brand. He’s not a great brand anymore.”

Alan Lasoff, of Calabasas, California, currently lease one Model Y SUV, but won’t get another when his term expires. For him, the decision stems from what he sees as billionaire hypocrisy and amplify conspiracy theories.

“He told people he bought Twitter because he wanted it to be apolitical, and on the eve of the election he said you should vote Republican,” Lasoff told Insider. “He may have his opinion, but what I really despise in people is hypocrisy.”

John Byrne, Software Operations Manager in Maryland, hasn’t been a huge fan of his 2020 Model X SUV for a while. He says it creaks, vibrates occasionally, and has an overall build quality that doesn’t match its $95,000 price tag.

But Musk’s behavior since the Twitter story – especially his right-wing broadcast view and attack Anthony Fauci – is the last straw. Byrne exchanged his car for one electric audi by the end of 2022.

“I don’t want to be a brand ambassador for them anymore,” Byrne told Insider.

Tesla did not return a request for comment.

Musk may be attracting conservatives to the brand

Some recent studies back up the anecdotes. Research firm Morning Consult found that Tesla’s net favorable rating among Democrats 20% off between October and November. Support among Republicans improved slightly.

According to Matthew Quint, a branding expert at Columbia Business School, consumers are more likely to react poorly to a controversial car company than to another type of business. That’s because a car is a lasting purchase that represents its owner to the outside world wherever they go — unlike a box of Goya beans, for example.

What’s more, Quint said, the five-figure cost involved will make someone think harder about who they’re enriching themselves with and whether they agree with their point of view.

The change of some fans comes at a difficult time for the company.

After years of Teslas flying off the shelves, the company is facing the big question about if consumer demand is waning. Amid those concerns, investor concerns about Musk’s preoccupation with Twitter, and slowing sales growth, Tesla’s stock plummeted 65% in 2022.

Plus, Tesla is dealing with an aging product line while facing unprecedented competition in the electric vehicle space, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions. with Insiders.

However, it remains unclear whether Musk’s outburst will deal a major blow to Tesla’s future sales. Quint said things could balance out if Musk pushed back the progressives while simultaneously selling more conservatives on his cars. And if Musk wants to lessen the impact of his words, all he has to do is tone things down, Quint said.

Perkowitz agrees. He’s looking at hyundai Ioniq 5 and pole star 2 as electric alternatives, but he still harbors hope that he will be able to buy a Model S in good conscience.

“I’m waiting for Elon to wake up and say something reasonable,” Perkowitz said. “But if he doesn’t do it soon, I’ll drive The North Star.”

Are you a Tesla owner or employee with a story to share? Do you love or hate your EV? Contact this reporter at tlevin@insider.com

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