Liberal Disillusionment Tanks EV Appeal

Musk’s Political Stance Drives Down Electric Vehicle Intentions

Liberal Americans’ enthusiasm for electric vehicles (EVs) has sharply declined, with new research indicating a direct correlation between their negative perception of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and their willingness to purchase any EV. This trend appears to be impacting the broader EV market, independent of conservative attitudes.

Musk’s Influence Erodes EV Support

A recent study reveals a significant drop in liberals’ intention to buy EVs, following a deterioration in their opinion of Tesla. This shift is linked to Elon Musk‘s public alignment with conservative politics and his advisory role during the previous presidential administration. Researchers observed a marked decrease in positive EV buying intentions among liberals.

Tesla shares dive as investors fear new Elon Musk political party will damage brand

— The Guardian (@guardian) July 7, 2025

Alexandra Flores, a psychologist at Williams College and the study’s lead author, noted the unusual breadth of Musk’s impact. The suspicion is that Elon Musk became so synonymous with EVs in the US that perceptions of him affected the entire class of vehicles. she stated. This made them way less appealing to liberals – he really dragged down perceptions of EVs in general. It’s definitely unusual to have a chief executive have an impact on a whole class of products like this.

Political Divides and EV Adoption

While Musk‘s political leanings have alienated some liberal consumers, leading some Tesla owners to adorn their vehicles with anti-Musk slogans, his pivot has not significantly boosted EV adoption among conservatives. Despite a potentially more favorable view of Tesla among Republicans, they remain largely uninterested in EVs.

The study found that historically, EV adoption was a politically charged issue. However, following Musk‘s political engagement, liberal attitudes towards EVs have softened considerably, while conservative interest has remained relatively stagnant. We thought that liberals would be pretty stable because EVs are so historically associated with the green movement and that Musk’s rightward turn would bring conservatives on board, Flores explained. But the opposite happened – over time conservatives remained relatively steady in their lack of interest in EVs and Tesla, while liberals’ attitudes really dropped. They are now equally unlikely to buy an EV as they are a Tesla.

Flores suggests that the association of EVs with climate-friendly policies might be more influential for conservatives than personal regard for Musk. The attitude among conservatives to Tesla may be slightly less negative than before but that didn’t translate into the part of psychology of how they intended to behave, she commented. That strong link to liberalism is too much for them to be budged on. It’s more foundational to them than if they like or don’t like Elon Musk.

Market Challenges and Future Outlook

Tesla is currently facing sales challenges, with Musk himself acknowledging a “rough few quarters” ahead. The company reported a 12% year-on-year decline in second-quarter 2025 deliveries. Factors contributing to this downturn include consumer concerns over tariffs, Tesla’s product lineup, the impending removal of federal tax credits, and Musk‘s public image.

In California, a key market for Tesla, new vehicle registrations have fallen for seven consecutive quarters. Overall EV sales in the U.S. also saw a year-on-year dip in the three months leading up to July. The situation is further complicated by a Republican-backed spending bill that will eliminate a $7,500 tax credit for EV purchases starting in September, potentially leading to a last-minute rush of buyers.

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They have had two major products that are major sellers, they haven’t changed them in years and there is now a big influx of new and more exciting electric products out there, commented Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive. I’m not sure you can attribute any falloff in EV sales to Elon, maybe him being on both sides of the coin will free EVs from being a political lightning rod. Keating suggests that total EV market share may not reach the previously forecasted 10% this year.

The removal of tax credits could also influence consumer affordability perceptions. However, Keating remains optimistic about the long-term prospects of EVs. EVs aren’t going away – adoption may stagnate but it won’t go off a cliff. We’ve invested too much into it and there are too many good products on the market now.

With transportation being the largest contributor to planet-heating pollution in the US, any deceleration in EV adoption could impede climate crisis efforts. One of the more troubling implications of our study is what this means for the climate, stated Flores. It is possible, though, that Musk’s shadow over EVs starts to fade, even if opinions about Tesla don’t recover. That pride in driving a climate-friendly vehicle may rebound among liberals. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation accounts for approximately 29% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.