59% of UK EV buyers put off of Tesla because of Elon Musk

More than half of UK car buyers have been put off Tesla by the behaviour of the brand’s polarising CEO, Elon Musk.

Electric car advice website, Electrifying.com, recently carried out a survey that found almost two-thirds of car buyers in the United Kingdom are turned off from buying a Tesla thanks to the divisive figurehead.

The survey interviewed 1,000 respondents split between existing EV owners and those who were intending to make the transition to all-electric motoring. In each group, 59% of people said that Musk’s influence over Tesla would deter them from buying one.

The survey was live after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, where Musk appeared to throw a Nazi salute. Musk has also aligned himself with several controversial parties in Europe including Reform UK, and Germany’s AfD.

To add to Musk’s woes, during the final quarter of 2024, China’s BYD surpassed Tesla to become the world’s biggest EV manufacturer selling around 530,000 vehicles to Tesla’s 485,000.

During the same period, the Tesla Model Y was knocked off of its top spot as the world’s best-selling car by the Toyota Corolla.

Electrifying.com’s survey found that Chinese EVs are now seen positively amongst UK EV owners, with 61% replying that they would choose a car from a Chinese carmaker. Meanwhile, 59% of potential EV buyers added they would also go Chinese.

“Tesla has played a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles, but our findings show that Elon Musk’s personal involvement in Tesla’s brand appears to be polarising, pushing many buyers to look elsewhere,” said Ginny Buckley, CEO and founder of Electrifying.com.

“Despite the strength of its model lineup Tesla’s dominance is no longer a given and, as our findings reveal, its founder might now be doing more harm than good to the brand.”

“Tesla was a market leader, but the Model Y has slipped from the top spot,” added Andy Palmer, the current CEO of Palmer Energy, and former CEO Aston Martin and Nissan.

“Tesla needs to think long and hard about its positioning and product offers if it wants to stop bleeding market share. The Electrifying.com research is timely and shows just how influential Chinese brands are becoming. They are affordable and of good quality. Not perfect, but do offer consumer choice at the right price point.”