The electric car brand was once a liberal favourite – but the CEO’s embrace of Trump has led to an angry backlash

Summary

Elon Musk’s vocal support for Donald Trump and promotion of far-right conspiracy theories has alienated many Tesla owners, who now express embarrassment over their cars.

Sales of anti-Musk stickers, such as “Anti Elon Tesla Club,” have surged as owners distance themselves from Musk’s politics.

Once admired by liberals for his environmental advocacy, Musk’s alignment with Trump and leadership in his administration have sparked backlash.

While Tesla remains the dominant EV maker, analysts warn Musk’s polarizing image may impact sales as competition grows and Trump plans to cut EV tax incentives.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
    11·
    20 hours ago

    having access to the capital necessary

    I already mentioned that.

    They were just the ones lucky enough to have the means to do it.

    That’s speculation, as I already mentioned, lots of companies were already researching in the field before Tesla and Apple, even companies that had more money and bigger research budgets in both cases. Somehow you feel a need to make the effort and result negligible, despite it obviously was not. Of course we would probably have arrived at similar solutions eventually, but it may have taken a decade.
    A person having an idea is inconsequential, ideas are cheap. Putting in the effort and resources and actually making it work is what counts.