Despite the Democratic Party’s advocacy for electric vehicles, the proportion of Democrats purchasing Tesla cars has reportedly declined significantly since last fall. According to a survey by Strategic Vision, the percentage of Democrats buying Tesla vehicles dropped by over 60% in October and November of 2023. This decline coincided with controversial remarks made by Tesla CEO Elon Musk on social media, including endorsing an anti-Semitic tweet.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Democrats accounted for 40% of Tesla customers in the 2022 model year. However, this figure dropped to 39% in 2023 and further declined to 15% in the 2024 model year survey. Meanwhile, Republicans increased to 32% and independents rose to 44% during the same period.
Despite the decline in Tesla purchases by Democrats, the numbers have rebounded in 2024, with Democrats accounting for 35% of the brand’s sales through late February. However, the reasons behind this shift are not entirely clear.
The article also notes that despite her criticism of Musk, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez previously owned a Tesla and expressed a desire to replace it with a union-made EV. Former President Donald Trump, despite his criticism of EVs, has also previously owned a Tesla Roadster.
Tesla’s recent decline in sales has been attributed to a combination of factors, including Musk’s controversial remarks and waning demand. This has led to a decline in Tesla’s overall market share.
