Tesla drivers and supposed drivers are not happy with Elon Musk.
People are recently outright choosing not to buy Tesla vehicles due to Musk's behavior on Twitter, with some finding the Tesla CEO to be "erratic" in his leadership of the microblogging platform, per CNET.
Investors are also unhappy with Musk's focus on Twitter, with Tesla stocks seeing an increase following the results of his poll asking if he should step down as Twitter's CEO, per Forbes.
Tesla Drivers' Alienation With Elon Musk
Tesla drivers and supposed drivers have found that Musk's behavior on Twitter, which they noted as becoming increasingly leaning to the right, is affecting their choices and lifestyle.
According to SFGate's report, several Tesla owners and Tesla buyers are turning Musk's "erratic" leadership on Twitter into a factor in whether should drive/buy a Tesla.
There is a difference between Tesla owners and Tesla buyers. While the former expresses their love for the vehicles they own and the Tesla brand, Tesla buyers are not looking forward to buying/owning one because of the previously mentioned reason.
James Murakami, a Tesla owner, said that while he isn't getting rid of his Tesla, he does understand the hesitance supposed Tesla buyers have in buying one in these times.
"It's getting hard to throw your money behind something that doesn't align with your politics," Murakami said.
Murakami isn't the only one voicing his opinion about Musk. A group of people who were supposed to buy Tesla cars called to cancel their preorders or terminate their car leases due to Musk's "toxic behavior."
The Tesla salesperson the three people talked to said that their fellow salespersons are noticing that a lot of customers doing the same thing due to Musk's handling of Twitter.
Chris Peterson, the author of the "Red and Blue Customers" newsletter, shed some light on the phenomenon.
According to him, the question is if the liberal market will erode because of Musk's political engagement that would transform Tesla into a conservative brand for the conservative market.
He notes that there is tension between what Tesla is and what Musk is espousing on Twitter. The author said that Tesla is futuristic, and as such, it appeals to urban, liberal customers.
Meanwhile, Musk's dealings within Twitter are more conservative than expected. As such, Tesla could eventually be perceived more like a Lexus or Lincoln, which are "very conservative" brands.
A Difficult Future Ahead
Musk's handling of Twitter is already affecting Tesla. a YouGov report found that the Tesla brand fell into the negative when it comes to consumer perception due to Musk's right-leaning policies on Twitter.
Additionally, investors are dismayed by Musk's focus on Twitter, with the company's stocks being expected to encounter a much steeper decline in 2023 because of his handling of Twitter, per a separate Forbes article.
However, the LA Times noted a modest rise in the comapny's stocks when Musk's poll regarding his tenure as Twitter's CEO said that he should step down from the role.
