Elon Musks MAGA politics are fast becoming a mega problem for Tesla.
New registrations of Tesla vehicles plummeted across Europe last month amid widespreadboycottsagainst the EV brand.
Germanys transport authorityreportedthat new Tesla registrations in January fell by nearly 60% year-on-year.
Thats despite the countrysbattery-electric vehicles sector seeing a combined 53.5% growthin saleslast month.
The dip has been linked to the behaviour of Teslas CEO.
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Musks actions are either despicable or courageous, depending on whom you ask.
In early February, a Tesla showroom in the Netherlands wasdefacedwith swastikas and anti-fascist slogans.
However, whether the entrepreneurs actions are hurting Teslas bottom line is harder to measure.
One of the best ways to gauge that is to ask Tesla owners.
In an ironic twist, Kraaijvanger recently sold his Tesla and bought a Polestar instead.
I do not wish to be associated with [Musks] ideology, he toldWired.
We get a lot of people writing that they dont like all this, Lohscheller toldBloomberg News.
Its important to listen closely to what they say.
And I can tell you, a lot of people have very, very negative sentiment.
Even some of Teslas employees want to distance themselves from their boss, according to theWashington Post.
As of today, Tesla stock has fallen 15% in the last month.
Tesla is developing a serious reputational problem, says Fellows.
The automotive industry expert believesMusk and Trump share around 30% of the blame forthe EV makers sales decline.
He attributes the remaining 70% to industry factors.
In 2024, Teslas salesdeclinedby 1.1%, its first drop in over 10 years.
In September, Chinese automaker BYD became the worlds leading EV brand, thanks to its aggressive pricing strategy.
But the company also has some unique issues of its own.
The refreshed Model Y is set togo on salein the US next month.
Teslas reputation in Europe now largely hinges on its CEO unless the company decides tooust him.
Story bySion Geschwindt
Sion is a freelance science and technology reporter, specialising in climate and energy.
