A new CNBC poll shows that nearly half of Americans have a negative view of Elon Musk and Tesla. Even electric car fans are turning their backs on the brand.
A new poll sheds light on Elon Musk and Tesla's popularity in the United States.
The survey comes from CNBC's All-America Economy Survey. The results show a markedly negative attitude among Americans.
Almost half view both Tesla and Elon Musk negatively.
The survey shows that 47 percent of the American population has a negative view of Tesla. Only 27 percent have a positive view of the car brand from Austin, Texas. 24 percent are neutral.
In comparison, General Motors (GM) has a more positive profile. 33 percent of Americans view GM favorably. 51 percent are neutral.
Only 10 percent have a directly negative view of the giant, which had to be rebuilt by the American government after the 2008 financial crisis.
The numbers for Elon Musk personally are equally remarkable. 48 percent of respondents have a negative view of the Tesla CEO. 36 percent view him positively.
16 percent of Americans say they have no opinion on the world's richest man.
Politics divides views on Musk
Opinions about Musk are clearly divided along political lines. Among Democrats, Musk's approval rating is minus 82. The figure is minus 49 among independent voters.
Republicans see the matter differently. Here, a full 56 percent give the thumbs up when the topic is the world's richest man.
However, Elon Musk's opinion must be seen in light of the recent media coverage. Musk supports President Donald Trump. Just as the South African supports right-wing politicians in Europe.
Critics believe that Musk has distanced himself from liberal voters, who today would argue that they were Tesla's primary customer base in the past.
Electric cars popular, but Tesla falls
Electric cars themselves are also something that divides the waters in the US. But here the disagreements are more evenly distributed.
CNBC's poll shows that 35 percent of Americans view electric cars negatively, while 33 percent have a more positive attitude.
It seems that even people who like electric cars don't necessarily like Musk.
Younger Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 are positive about electric cars. However, they are negative about Tesla as a company.
The most significant number comes from Democrats. They have a strongly positive attitude towards electric cars. At the same time, according to the CNBC poll, they have an extremely negative attitude towards Tesla.
The numbers are hardly something any automaker or CEO would be eager to deal with. However, it is the reality that Tesla and Elon Musk face in the United States.
Ironically, according to several analysts, the arrow points to Elon Musk himself as the reason for the development. Tesla has also declined on our side of the Atlantic.
In fact, the brand has declined so much that sales have never looked worse. Read more about it here .
