Tesla gets eye-popping message from latest survey

Tesla (TSLA) has taken multiple blows in terms of production bottlenecks, charging-network hiccups, and stiff competition from China. 

However, what it’s not used to is losing fans and customers due to politics. 

That’s exactly what a pertinent new global survey suggests is happening. A poll of over 26,000 EV owners spread across 30 countries shows 41% would look to avoid Tesla over political concerns.

That number spikes even over 50% in the U.S. and Germany, perhaps two of Tesla’s most important markets. 

Even Norway, which was once Tesla’s European crown jewel, showed 43% avoidance. The shift comes at a time when Elon Musk’s high-profile political involvement continues to dominate headlines. 

A poll Tesla just can’t ignore

The Global EV Alliance didn’t just poll casual observers — it also included the people who actually purchase electric cars.

Over 26,000 EV owners across 30+ countries were quizzed on how they feel about Tesla today, and the results were anything but reassuring for the EV behemoth. 

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 Globally, 41% of respondents said they would avoid driving a Tesla mainly due to political concerns tied to Elon Musk. 

The numbers got even more striking when zooming into major markets in both the U.S. and Germany, just slightly over 50% of EV drivers said they’d want to steer clear of Tesla. 

Also in Norway, a popular longtime Tesla stronghold, 43% said the same. 

Musk’s politics are suddenly a business variable

Tesla’s brand usually gets measured in EVs, but now it’s getting measured in votes and cultural alignment. 

Earlier this year, Musk accepted a role heading the “Department of Government Efficiency,” a Trump administration office aiming to trim federal bureaucracy. 

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Soon after, though, he publicly feuded with Doland Trump, while making a hand gesture at his inauguration that some interpreted as a Nazi salute. 

Brand experts and the big-name voices are already saying the quiet part out loud. 

For instance, on his "Pivot" podcast, New York University marketing professor Scott Galloway just called Musk’s mix of politics and DOGE “one of the greatest brand destructions” in modern business history.

Similarly, a new Yale/NBER study cited by Reuters estimates Musk's partisan behavior has already cost Tesla 1-1.26 million in U.S. sales.

Timeline of political flashpoints for Tesla, Elon Musk

• Jan. 20, 2025: During President Trump’s second inauguration, Musk appeared on stage, making a “double salute” some described as a Nazi-style gesture, prompting international backlash.
• Early 2025's DOGE and partisan cuts: As head of the DOGE, The Guardian reported, Musk helped drive aggressive federal job and spending cuts.
• March 2025: Grassroots “Tesla Takedown" protests and dealership vandalism started to surface in Europe and the U.S., according to Reuters.
• Sept. 12, 2025: Tesla board chair says Musk’s political activity is “up to him” but dismissed concerns over sales declines.

Record sales can’t hide Tesla’s growing global split

Tesla’s quarterly numbers, particularly in Q3, apparently offer a different take on the political drama that enveloped its story. 

In Q3, the EV maker ended up delivering 497,099 vehicles, topping expectations, but the incredible surge was helped by a last-minute rush to capture the U.S. $7,500 federal EV tax credit before it expired in September.

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But step outside the U.S. and Europe, and the dynamic switches gears quickly. 

GEVA’s survey found that political avoidance hardly registers in the Global South, where buyers focus on prioritizing affordability, not ideology, and just 12% say they avoid Chinese EVs. 

That’s a big part of why Tesla is losing ground in South America to BYD, Geely, and GWM. 

In emerging markets, price, availability, and reliability beat brand controversy every time, and China’s EV makers are still hitting those marks with clinical efficiency.

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