Californians now feel 'ashamed' to drive a Tesla? Once, Tesla was highly popular in California, especially in Silicon Valley, but now the situation has drastically changed. From January to July 2024, Tesla registrations in Santa Clara County, the heart of Silicon Valley, dropped by 22%, while registrations of competitors increased by 41%. Nationwide, sales of non-Tesla electric vehicles grew by 33%. The Cybertruck's production increase made it the best-selling electric truck in the U.S., but sales of popular models like the Model 3 and Model Y are declining.

Once, Tesla attracted people with its cool, technologically advanced, and eco-friendly image—this was its stronghold and birthplace of success. But now, Elon Musk's series of actions are damaging the brand. His shift to far-right politics has sparked countless controversies, such as questioning whether Biden and Harris were not assassinated, donating to support Trump, and posting anti-immigration content. Data analysis firms point out that this could cause significant harm to the brand. Surveys show that most people are sensitive to a brand's stance on social and political issues, with Democrats twice as likely as Republicans to buy electric vehicles. Tesla's favorability has hit a historic low.