It was not enough for Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., to announce that he had gotten rid of his Tesla. He did it on X, the social media platform headed by Elon Musk, who took over as CEO of the electric vehicle company in 2008.
Kelly made his reason for abandoning the car that one time represented progress and automotive and environmental achievement: Musk and his politics.
“Every time I get in this car in the last 60 days or so, it reminds me of just how much damage Elon Musk and Donald Trump is doing to our country,” Kelly posted.
Other well-known figures have dumped Teslas as well, including actor Jason Bateman, who said driving it was like “driving around with a Trump sticker” back in October.
Music star Sheryl Crow made a video to announce she had sold her Tesla. She donated the money from the sale to NPR, posting: “My parents always said … you are who you hang out with. There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with. So long, Tesla.”
Musk’s connection to President Donald Trump and the emergence of the Department of Government Efficiency and its vast federal government job cuts were the tipping points for many progressives who owned the EV, which remains the top-selling electric car in the country.
But Musk’s influence within conservative politics has inspired a growing segment of people to ditch their Tesla, as they don’t want to be connected to Musk and had tied his political actions to their ownership of vehicles produced by his company. It is a connection many have said they want to disengage by getting rid of their once-beloved groundbreaking cars.
Tesla did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Teslas still make up 42% of electric vehicle sales in the U.S., even with recent dips.
But anecdotal and automotive data indicate that the Tesla brand is taking a hit. S&P Global Mobility numbers showed that Tesla registrations dropped 11% in January, while other manufacturers like Ford, Chevrolet and Volkswagen,…
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