New research reveals that the escalating political animosity from left-wing Americans toward Tesla CEO Elon Musk is actually having unexpected consequences.
Leftist hate for Musk is leading to a surprising result as liberals are buying fewer electric vehicles (EVs) altogether, not just steering away from Tesla.
It comes as Musk’s political stance has shifted rightward, particularly through his support for President Donald Trump.
The Left’s backlash against the Tesla boss peaked during Musk’s role as a top advisor for Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
A recent study, published in the journal Nature, confirms that leftists are increasingly rejecting electric cars, not just Tesla, but EVs in general.
The study was led by psychologist Alexandra Flores from Williams College.
The findings highlight the growing disillusionment among left-wing voters.
While liberals were largely supportive of purchasing electric vehicles as recently as August 2023, by March 2025, after Musk’s continued alignment with Trump, those same individuals had drastically reduced their intent to buy EVs.
In fact, it’s not just Tesla sales that are suffering.
Liberals, it turns out, are simply buying fewer cars overall.
Flores explains, “The suspicion is that Elon Musk became so synonymous with EVs in the U.S. that perceptions of him affected the entire class of vehicles.
“This made them way less appealing to liberals—he really dragged down perceptions of EVs in general.”
It comes as Tesla’s sales in the U.S. continue to struggle.
The automaker’s sales are down 12 percent year-over-year in Q2 2025.
The company has recorded seven consecutive quarters of declines in California.
Amid the downturn, the study’s findings are all the more relevant.
Liberals who once viewed Tesla and electric cars with excitement are now associating the entire industry with Musk’s political shift.
While the negative perception among left-wing voters was expected, the study also revealed an unexpected outcome as these disillusioned leftists aren’t flocking to Tesla’s competitors, but are instead simply refraining from purchasing EVs.
This suggests that for many on the Left, their dislike of Musk is so strong that it’s tarnishing the entire market for electric cars, despite other options available.
In contrast, the shift in Musk’s political alliances has had little to no impact on conservative Americans’ stance toward Tesla or electric vehicles.
Although Republicans now view the company more favorably, EVs as a whole continue to be largely shunned by conservative car buyers.
As Flores hypothesizes, the long-standing association of EVs with environmentalism and leftist ideologies is a significant barrier for many conservatives.
This view far outweighs any change in perception of Musk himself.
The research also highlights the broader trend of slowing EV sales across the board.
Tesla’s struggles are emblematic of a wider industry slowdown, with a marked dip in overall U.S. electric vehicle sales.
A contributing factor is the looming expiration of federal EV tax credits.
Experts predict the issue will cause a temporary rush in EV purchases before a potential long-term deceleration in adoption.
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