In a new survey, one in five motorists say they still want to buy a Tesla, even though Elon Musk may act provocatively.
One in five drivers in Germany is still considering buying a Tesla, even though Elon Musk's behavior is drawing criticism from many quarters. However, a new survey from Civey shows that the majority of consumers distance themselves from Musk's actions.
This is what Automobilwoche writes.
The survey, which was conducted in mid-January with 5,000 participants, reveals that 65 percent of consumers find Musk's behavior problematic and therefore do not want to buy a Tesla.
Yet 19 percent of respondents – or just over one in five – say they are attracted to Musk's controversial personality. In fact, they say Musk alone is reason enough to buy a Tesla. The remaining 16 percent are unsure.
– There is hardly any other company that is as closely connected to its director as Tesla is to Elon Musk.
It's a connection that is both a blessing and a curse, says Civey car expert Christian Riedl.
Riedl points out that the close connection between Musk and Tesla creates a polarization that could be risky for the car brand.
– This polarization poses significant risks for the brand, as it pushes the product – in this case the cars – into the background.
It remains to be seen whether Tesla will attempt to separate the brand's image from Musk and instead focus on something else in its marketing. But so far, there is no indication of that.
On the contrary, the study indicates that Tesla benefits from the controversial image that Elon Musk has acquired in the eyes and minds of many.
– If 20 percent feel more motivated to buy Tesla based on one man's behavior, the brand still has a lot of untapped potential.
Despite the continued interest in electric cars from Tesla, the company experienced a decline in sales in Germany last year.
The number of new Teslas in Germany alone fell by over 40 percent to approximately 37,600 cars in 2024. The brand also declined in Denmark . However, not enough for any other brand to shake the fact that the Model Y is still the Danes' preferred car. This was also the case in 2023.
Globally, however, Tesla managed to maintain the brand's position as the largest manufacturer of electric cars, just ahead of Chinese competitor BYD.
