Jody Serrano
Editor in chiefEditor in Chief at Xataka On. Before joining Webedia, I was a tech reporter at Gizmodo and The Messenger. While I've covered all sorts of things related to technology, I'm specialized in writing about social media, Internet culture, Twitch, and streamers.
Lately, it seems that Tesla CEO Elon Musk is to Tesla what kryptonite is to Superman: a critical weakness. Once an asset, Musk has now become a drag on the Tesla brand, motivating people to return their vehicles instead of purchasing them
“A new direction.” This week, Electrek spotted an important announcement from Danish construction company Tscherning, which said it was returning its entire fleet of Tesla electric vehicles.
In a LinkedIn post, Tscherning specifically cited Musk as the catalyst for its decision, explaining that it didn’t want to be “associated with the values and political direction that currently accompany the Tesla brand.”
“At Tscherning, we not only decide how we drive—but also who we drive with,” the company said, according to an online translation of its statement. “That's why we've chosen to hand over the keys to our Tesla company cars—not because Tesla has become a bad car, but in light of Elon Musk's political commitment and the opinions he has publicly expressed (and which are increasingly hard to overlook), we as a company have chosen to say ‘thank you for the ride.’”
The post included a video of the Tesla cars being mounted onto a transport rig. Tscherning added it would be replacing its fleet with “European alternatives.”
A growing sentiment. Tscherning isn’t the only European company to cut ties with Tesla because of Musk. Last year, the German pharmacy giant Rossmann also announced that it would not buy any more Tesla vehicles.
At the time, Rossmann said that Musk’s statements were incompatible with the values Tesla represents with its products. It also pointed out the billionaire’s support of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
“Elon Musk makes no secret of his support for Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly described climate change as a hoax—this attitude is in stark contrast to Tesla’s mission to contribute to environmental protection through the production of electric cars,” the company said.
More recently, Tesla’s sales in Europe—the second-largest market for EVs worldwide—are decreasing by double digits, according to its April sales report.
“Anti Elon Tesla Club.” The backlash against Tesla and Musk isn’t limited to companies. It’s also not something that only affecting customers in European countries.
In the U.S., Tesla owners have openly tried to distance themselves from Musk in recent years. The anti-Musk sentiment seemed to increase after Musk threw his support and money behind Trump, ultimately helping him win the election. Some have started to put stickers with phrases like “Anti Elon Tesla Club” and “I Bought This Before Elon Went Crazy” on their Teslas.
Mika Houston, a gymnastics teacher in Las Vegas with a Tesla Model 3, told The Guardian last she bought an “Anti Elon Tesla Club” magnet for her car and was debating on whether to sell it.
“I still love my car, but I think about whether I’m endorsing that sort of behavior when I drive it. I’m embarrassed driving this car around after the election, thinking about the man behind it,” Houston told the outlet.
Earlier this year, Tesla facilities and cars across the U.S. were targeted after Musk began cutting the federal workforce through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Tesla’s uncertain future. Musk told investors in April that he would be reducing his time in the Trump administration and devote more time to the car company, which suffered its biggest sales drop in history during the first quarter.
Investors had been begging Musk to pay more attention to Tesla for years, unhappy that he dedicated time to Twitter (now X), AI, DOGE, and several other interests instead of the EV company. Now they have their wish, though it may not be enough.
Some experts say that Musk’s distance from politics will help improve Tesla’s fortunes, but others say the damage done to the brand is irreversible.
“It was a brand people were proud to own,” Kelly O’Keefe, a branding expert at the consultant Brand Federation, told CNN. “I don’t know how you take the stain off of Musk’s behavior.”
Images | Prometheus | Michael Förtsch
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