Elon Musk has long been the linchpin of Tesla's appeal, commanding unbelievable hype that has elevated the automaker to a stellar valuation while making it a household name.But as Musk unravels amidst his active role in far-right politics, his deteriorating public image is beginning to have the opposite effect on Tesla's brand. And you don't have to look much further than his own customers."The pride and the good feeling I had driving in it is gone for me," Tae Helton, the owner of a Tesla Model 3 who lives near the automaker's factory in Fremont, California, .The tipping point for Helton, a political moderate, was when Musk performed a Nazi salute at president Donald Trump's inauguration celebration. Before that went down, he was considering getting a second Tesla for his family. Now, Helton plans to pay off his car loan early and trade in the vehicle, per Bloomberg.Souring sentiments like Helton's come as Tesla sales plunge worldwide, and in Europe especially, where he has inflamed public opinion by backing far-right factions like Germany's AfD party, leading to protests, acts of vandalism, and political stunts decrying Musk's flirting with Nazism.In January, the number of Tesla vehicles sold in the continent nosedived by 45 percent compared to the same period last year, down to a meager 9,945 sales, according to new datafrom the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association.The trend continues what was a rough year for Tesla globally in 2024, in which its total automotive revenue the money made by selling vehicles, basically declined by over $5 billion, with its profits falling by a staggering 71 percent."Tesla's biggest challenge in 2025 isn't technology it's perception," Jacob Falkencrone, global head of investment strategy at Danish bank Saxo, told Bloomberg. "Elon Musk's political baggage is now weighing on sales, brand loyalty and investor confidence."Stateside, Musk's role in the Trump administration, ruthlessly cutting federal spending through his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, has led to demonstrations and, more pervasively, countless Tesla cars getting trashed by disgruntled citizens."I couldn't handle what Elon Musk was doing anymore," San Francisco bay resident Eric Thurber, who bought a Model 3 in 2021, told Bloomberg. Thurber said he sold his car at a hefty loss following the inauguration, buying another EV, the BMW i4 sedan.Helton, the other Model 3 owner, also turned to one of Tesla's competitors, purchasing a Hyundai Ioniq 5.And if once enthusiastic customers are turning up their noses, you can bet that potential ones are going to start looking elsewhere, too like one Micah Barber, a college professor in Austin who wants to make the switch to EVs, and who once admired Tesla's accomplishments. The stink of Musk, though, has proved too powerful of a deterrent."He's become one of the most dangerous people in our country," Barber told Bloomberg at a demonstration outside a Tesla showroom in Austin.Share This Article