Musk's statements are scaring off more and more potential buyers

Tesla outlook Musk's statements are scaring off more and more potential buyers

2025-01-30 From Andreas Grimm | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

Driving a Tesla used to be cool. Nowadays, buyers face critical questions about Elon Musk's politics—or feel uncomfortable with the brand themselves. Auto analyst Jürgen Pieper believes the customer base could shrink significantly.

Still relevant? Auto analyst Jürgen Pieper expects that a significant portion of Tesla customers will turn away from the electric car maker because of Elon Musk.(Image: Grimm / »kfz-betrieb«) — Still relevant? Auto analyst Jürgen Pieper expects that a significant portion of Tesla customers will turn away from the electric car maker because of Elon Musk.
(Image: Grimm / »kfz-betrieb«)

Tesla is increasingly facing an image problem. Founder Elon Musk's pandering to U.S. President Donald Trump and his often strange statements from a European perspective are difficult to reconcile with the core values of many Tesla buyers. For good reason, numerous companies have already publicly announced that they will no longer purchase Tesla vehicles for their fleets. A prominent example of this was Rossmann.

Auto analyst Jürgen Pieper is convinced that this trend could continue. He spent 24 years in senior positions at the renowned Metzler Bank, is considered a recognized expert in the automotive industry, and has often been consulted by agencies like dpa on industry trends in the past. He now expects that a significant portion of Tesla drivers will switch to another brand in the future due to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's political stance.

In general, the brand is on a downward trend in Germany. In 2024, Tesla sales dropped by 41 percent, which, of course, must be seen in the context of the overall decline in electric vehicle registrations by 27 percent. However, the appeal of the once pioneering electric car brand, which used to promote climate-friendly mobility, seems to be damaged.

Every third customer could turn away

In an interview with the german magazine "Auto Motor und Sport" (Car Engine and Sport), analyst Pieper says: "The car business has become politicized. On one side, there is the camp of rather conservative combustion engine supporters, opposed by the mostly left-leaning, green, or liberal electric vehicle faction." The consequences are now hitting Tesla, as he believes that between 10 and 30 percent of Tesla buyers want nothing to do with Musk's political stance. As a result, they are shifting their focus when purchasing a car. After all, there are now plenty of options in the new car market for progressive and tech-savvy buyers.

Pieper also does not rule out the possibility that Musk might part ways with Tesla in the medium or long term, possibly to focus more on his other ventures. "Musk doesn't just sell electric cars, he is also involved in space, is a media entrepreneur after buying Twitter/X, and is part of the upcoming U.S. government, thus active in global politics," says Pieper. He also recalls an earlier goal of Elon Musk's, which was to sell 20 million Teslas per year. "He will never achieve that, even with massive support from the Trump administration."

If this realization settles in for Musk, it could become a reason for him to exit, so that he is not personally responsible for the failed dream.

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Date: 08.12.2025

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