After climbing the Tesla model last week, President Trump pledged to buy it. The next day, Fox News host Sean Hannity said Tesla had bought a Model S plaid to support the company he struggled with, saying “there are more American parts than other cars made in our country.”
In a backlash against Elon Musk's government's efficiency tactics, prominent conservatives are gathering against the electric car company led by Musk. They want to sway like-minded consumers enough to offset the boycott of electric car makers by Liberals, Democrats, or those who are upset by Musk's actions.
But how effective is such a rescue mission? Analysts say it helps, but only to some extent.
While many democratic buyers appear to be fleeing Tesla, even Trump's best sales pitch is unlikely to plead for new customers new to fill the vacuum, automotive experts said. JPMorgan analysts plan to offer Tesla the fewest cars in the first quarter than within three years.
“When you make your product attractive to half the market, I promise you that we will not increase sales,” said Alexander Edwards, president of Strategic Vision, an automotive research and consulting firm.
Edwards has been researching car buyers for decades. Since 2016, surveys have found that train owners are up to four times more likely to identify with Democrats or liberals, as they identify as Republicans or conservatives. Among Tesla owners, the spread was consistently 2-1.
The gap has shrunk sharply until 2024. As sales declined this year, Tesla buyers have identified slightly more Tesla buyers as Republicans than Democrats, at 30% versus 29%.
“There's naturally a majority of Republicans and independent buyers, as Democrats say they're running away from the brand and won't take that into consideration in the future,” Edwards said.
He said that when Musk bought the now X in 2022, he began losing interest in Tesla when Musk publicly supported him last July.
Overall, around 8% of car owners have definitely taken Tesla into consideration, according to Edwards' research. This was frequently outperforming the luxury brand rankings that buyers consider, compared to 22% five years ago.
The anti-slip Tesla sales “is attributable to Elon Musk's statement and actions, if not entirely so,” he said.
The automaker did not respond to requests for comment.
According to Kelly Blue Book, Tesla remains the best-selling American electric car brand in around 44% of the market despite a 5.6% decline in US sales, despite a 5.6% decline in US sales. Many drivers are determined to stick to the electric vehicle pioneer. Electric car pioneers can easily refuel with the company's extensive charging network, as the car can travel hundreds of miles on charges.
Josh Anders, 44, swapped a gasoline-powered sports utility vehicle for a Tesla Model 3 in 2019. He is about to quickly trade with another person and get the latest model Y SUV delivery
“Owning a Tesla is one of the best decisions I've ever made and I'm stuck with it,” Anders said. “I love the Libian R1, but I can't afford it. I'm a tech guy and I love all the features and innovation.”
Anders, father of four and the father of the creative director of a Christian nonprofit music and arts organization, said he was conservatively leaning and uncomfortable with the boycott.
“Eron isn't perfect, and Tesla isn't perfect, but it's a community of dreamers and doers. I'm grateful for the brand that's always pushing boundaries,” he said. “I don't need all the companies to share my beliefs. I need to share my commitment to progress.”
Still, cars have a long history of becoming part of political conflict.
The Chevrolet Volt, a plug-in hybrid introduced in 2011 after General Motors received federal aid, was ridden by some conservatives as “Obama Curl.” GM's fueled Toyota Prius and gas-sting Hummers were often praised and attacked by people on the other side of the political spectrum.
Isaac Seliger, a business owner and grant writer in Scottsdale, Arizona, said that despite her recently deceased son being a dedicated Tesla fan, he had little interest in electric vehicles.
Now, Seliger, who described himself as politically independent, is determined to buy Tesla because he wants to violate group thinking and polarization. My friend told him he would stop talking to him if he did.
“As a former left-handed, anti-war man, all this makes me want to buy more Tesla,” said Seliger, 73. “I will definitely make a political statement. But if I buy a Porsche Macan, that's a statement too, and people will make you pigeonhole as an uncomfortable elderly Porsche driver.”
Seliger added that he found criticism for Musk exaggerating.
“So Elon was the hero on the left, but is he a Nazi now? It's just crazy,” he said. “He's attacking me as a clever guy who makes great things.”
For many who have faith in Tesla and Musk, the company's sales and stock price, which have fallen by about 48% from its December high, will eventually recover. Stocks have increased 12% in trading over the past four days.
However, some auto experts say Tesla could struggle as the company doesn't regularly update its cars or introduce new models. Additionally, the company's chargers, once only available to Teslas, have started access to almost all major competitors, said Lauren McDonald, chief analyst at Palen, an electric vehicle charging data company. Other automakers also offer new electric models, with many receiving monthly payments, particularly affordable.
“He is rapidly losing the scope, technology, value and convenience benefits that have driven people to Tesla,” McDonald said. “For many, it's time to go ahead and try something new.”
Of course, most buyers don't choose cars based on politics. However, the brand image is important. Even as U.S. electric vehicle sales rose 7.3% in 2024 to 1.3 million, Tesla's sales were slipping. Edwards said Musk makes it easier for people to shop elsewhere.
“People can love Hyundai, GM, Libian, or BMW,” he said.
Republicans certainly buy electric cars, but fewer of them have entered the entire electric model. Rural countries where Republicans outweigh Democrats have fewer chargers than city-states. Strategic vision data shows Republicans are more likely to work outside the home and are not willing to put up with inconveniences like long charging stops. Also, a 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that more Republicans than Democrats say electric cars are too expensive and less reliable than gasoline vehicles.
New Tesla registrations fell to 47,000 units in 2024 in the country's largest automotive market in New York. That same year, over 101,000 people registered Tesla in Los Angeles, down 8%, the second largest market. Still, nearly one in eight new cars in Los Angeles was Tesla. In the San Francisco Gulf region, where Tesla was established, almost one of the five new cars was Tesla. However, sales fell 17% to 54,000 cars.
Houston-area consumers have purchased 12,000 Teslas. However, Bay Area residents have purchased 4.5 times the Teslas in a small market for new cars overall. Some areas saw a major increase, including Lauderdale, Miami Fort, which promoted Miami Fort to nearly 23,000 units in 2024 to nearly 32%. However, the company's profits at these locations could not offset the sharp decline in the larger and more liberal metro areas.
Experts say wealthy conservatives, such as Hannity and Trump, have disposable income to publish personal car statements by choosing Tesla. But they may not be able to convince Americans of more modest measures.
McDonald also said Trump and other conservatives spent years slandering electric vehicles, laughing at climate change and criticizing former president Joseph R. Biden Jr.'s climate and automotive policy.
“The message is inconsistent,” McDonald said. “Is the Arkansas guy trying to buy a Tesla right now? To what extent can you oppose your own beliefs to support Elon Musk?”
