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The Impact of Elon Musk’s Public Persona on Tesla Sales

Explore the correlation between Elon Musk’s public image and Tesla’s sales performance. Analyze how his persona influences consumer perception and purchasing decisions in the automotive industry.

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Elon Musk’s Impact on Tesla Sales

Few auto executives are as closely identified with the companies they manage as Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, is. His prolific presence on social media has made him a prominent figure, known for expressing his political views openly.

As Mr. Musk’s public persona has veered towards the right wing, Tesla seems to be experiencing a decline in sales, particularly to liberal and left-leaning customers who are more inclined towards purchasing electric vehicles. Analysts and Tesla owners, responding to a questionnaire on The New York Times’s website, have indicated that Mr. Musk’s behavior has influenced their perception of Tesla.

There is a perception that Mr. Musk’s erratic and impulsive image has reflected on the cars themselves, creating doubts about their quality and contributing to the downward trend in Tesla sales. The company recently reported a 4.8% drop in global sales in the second quarter compared to the previous year, following an 8.5% decline in the first quarter.

“Musk is a true lightning rod,” said Ben Rose, the president of Battle Road Research, highlighting the polarizing effect of Mr. Musk’s actions. Some customers are drawn to his persona, while others are deterred by it, leading them to consider alternative brands for their electric vehicle purchases.

Despite numerous responses to The Times’s questionnaire, Tesla and its board representatives have not provided any comments on the matter. Concerns raised by respondents include perceptions of antisemitism from Mr. Musk, management of Twitter (now X) post-acquisition, including significant layoffs and content policy changes, and his affiliations with conservative figures like former President Donald J. Trump.

A majority of respondents expressed criticism towards Mr. Musk, with some likening driving a Tesla to “basically driving around a giant red MAGA hat.” For example, Aaron Shepherd, a product designer at Microsoft in Seattle, opted for an electric Volkswagen ID.4 over a Tesla due to these concerns.

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