A new study shows that three out of ten Tesla owners in the Netherlands want to get rid of their car. Dutch electric car owners have even coined a new term: Tesla shame.
Tesla shame is spreading among Dutch Tesla owners. A new survey reveals that a significant proportion of Dutch Tesla owners are considering getting rid of their cars due to Elon Musk's actions and statements.
The survey, conducted by the newspaper EenVandaag, shows that three out of ten Tesla owners experience Tesla shame to such an extent that they have either sold their car or are considering doing so.
EenVandaag conducted the survey among 432 Tesla owners and lessees out of the newspaper's 26,000 subscribers.
Several of those surveyed said they find driving their Tesla less satisfying because of Elon Musk.
"If I had known what he was like now, I would never have gotten a Tesla," says one of the Tesla owners surveyed.
The study points to Elon Musk's involvement in European politics as a central cause of Tesla's shame. Musk's support for the German AfD party has drawn criticism, including from Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller.
Despite the widespread Tesla shame, the survey also shows that 51 percent of Tesla owners surveyed believe that Elon Musk's behavior has little impact on their relationship with the car. 40 percent of participants still say they are proud to drive a Tesla and describe Elon Musk as a "visionary."
Although there are no similar studies in Denmark, a Swedish study conducted by Novus for TV4 suggests that Tesla shame may also be a growing phenomenon in Sweden.
The survey shows that 47 percent of the Swedish population has a negative attitude towards Tesla, while 52 percent are positive or neutral.
Women and older people are more likely to have a negative view of Tesla than men, according to the Swedish survey. The same survey shows that only 10 percent of the Swedish population has a positive view of Elon Musk.
