Left-wing backlash against Tesla CEO Elon Musk is not just hurting Tesla sales—it’s dragging down the entire electric vehicle market. New research published in Nature reveals that since Musk’s public alignment with President Donald Trump and his shift toward conservative politics, progressive consumers are backing away from electric vehicle purchases altogether.
Psychologist Alexandra Flores of Williams College led the study, which showed a significant drop in EV purchasing interest among liberals between August 2023 and March 2025. Once eager to embrace EVs for their environmental appeal, many on the left now reject the vehicles due to Musk’s political rise and role as a top adviser to President Trump. “He really dragged down perceptions of EVs in general,” Flores said.
Tesla’s Q2 2025 sales reflect the shift, with a 12% year-over-year drop in the U.S. and continued registration declines in California. Surprisingly, the study found that these disillusioned buyers are not turning to Tesla’s competitors—they’re opting out of EVs entirely. Stickers like “Anti Elon Tesla Club” and “I Bought This Before Elon Went Crazy” have become common among disaffected Tesla owners.
On the other side, conservative Americans still remain hesitant to buy electric vehicles despite improving views of Musk and Tesla. Flores attributes this to the lingering association of EVs with leftist environmentalism, which continues to deter right-leaning car buyers.
Overall, EV sales in the U.S. have slowed, and the approaching expiration of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit may further impact adoption. While a temporary sales spike is expected as buyers rush to claim the credit, long-term growth could be stunted by both political polarization and economic headwinds.
Tesla, once the darling of progressive consumers, now finds itself in a strange political limbo—shunned by the left and still distrusted by the right.
