Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Inc, has been facing a significant decline in his favorability rating, which could potentially hurt the electric vehicle brand. A recent consumer survey reveals that Americans are less likely to buy a new Tesla vehicle due to Musk’s close relationship with President Donald Trump and his push into politics.
The Survey
A new poll conducted by YouGov and Yahoo News found that 67% of Americans would not consider owning or leasing a Tesla vehicle in the future. Only 18% of American consumers surveyed would consider owning or leasing a Tesla vehicle, while 2% already own a Tesla vehicle and 18% are unsure.
Reasons for Not Owning a Tesla
When asked why they would not own or lease a Tesla vehicle, the poll found that Musk is the main reason. The results are as follows:
- He is the whole reason: 20%
- Part of the reason: 17%
- Not part of the reason: 27%
- Not sure: 3%
- Not asked (own/lease or open to it): 33%
Favorable Ratings
The poll found that both Musk and Tesla have favorable ratings of under 40%. Musk received a favorable rating of 39%, with 55% ranking the CEO unfavorable and 6% saying they don’t know. Tesla had a favorable rating of 37%, with an unfavorable rating of 49% and 14% saying they don’t know.
Net Ratings
Taking the favorable minus the unfavorable ratings, Musk had a net rating of -16, while Tesla had a net rating of -12. This gives Tesla a slight advantage.
Elon Musk’s Motives
When asked about Elon Musk’s motives in his political efforts, 36% of respondents believed he was primarily trying to help the country, while 51% felt he was mainly acting in his own self-interest. The remaining 12% were unsure.
Political Party Affiliation
The poll was split fairly evenly by political party, with 32% of respondents identifying as Republicans, 30% as Democrats, and 27% as Independents. The remaining 10% identified as Other (2%) or Not Sure (8%).
Impact of Trump’s Tesla Purchase
A recent poll found that 53% of respondents said they would never own a Tesla, while 23% said they are more likely to buy a Tesla, and 14% said they are less likely to buy a Tesla after Trump’s purchase and sales pitch for the EV company.
Tesla Stock Price
Tesla stock closed at $259.16 on Monday, with a 52-week trading range of $138.80 to $488.54. Tesla stock is down 31.6% year-to-date in 2025, trading slightly above where it was when Trump won the 2024 election.