Elon Musk took a chainsaw to the US government. Tesla is taking the hit. | TechCrunch
Briefly

Elon Musk's political alignment, particularly with President Trump, has tarnished Tesla's image as a progressive leader in the EV market. Recent first-quarter delivery numbers have shown a steep decline, emphasizing a shift in consumer perception and increased competition in the EV sector. Tesla's brand is facing unique challenges, with record-high trade-ins and calls for boycotts abroad. Industry experts warn that Musk needs to refocus on business to avoid further deterioration, suggesting a significant public relations crisis for the automaker as they strive to maintain their innovative reputation amid negative press.
They have a certain significant public image problem that's really something we haven't seen before in this industry.
Musk's political activities have turned Tesla into a symbolic pariah, with trade-ins hitting record highs and sales in Europe dropping.
Even one of Tesla's most unwavering bulls, Dan Ives, has begged Musk to focus less on politics and more on his business.
Tesla's disappointing first-quarter deliveries demonstrate just how much the brand has fallen out of favor.
Read at TechCrunch
[
|
]