New reports suggest Tesla is losing customers because of CEO Elon Musk: 'Consumers are responding to consistency, not volatility'

Tesla sales are reportedly down because of its polarizing CEO, Elon Musk. Though Tesla is the No. 1 electric vehicle company in the United States, a new report from USA Today indicates its sales have plummeted due to Musk's involvement in politics that has angered some people or damaged brand trust.

The gap in the market has left space for General Motors to flourish. The automaker's sales were 111% higher in mid-2025 than they were in mid-2024. In comparison, Tesla's sales six months into 2025 were down 13% from the same time the previous year.

"GM is quietly building trust, while Elon burns it," said Paul Waatti, AutoPacific's director of industry analysis, per USA Today. "Consumers are responding to consistency, not volatility, and GM's steady hand is starting to pay dividends."

Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, added that Musk's politics weren't the only element impacting the market for Teslas or, more broadly, electric vehicles.

"There's not one thing that's causing Tesla sales to go down and GM's to go up. It's a combination of factors," Fiorani said, per USA Today. "Some of that will be a response to Elon Musk, some will be to the EV tax credits going away. The EV market is developing so fast, but we are still just at the beginning of the bell curve."

Still, while General Motors' sales have been found to be rising, compared to Tesla's dropping sales, it's worth noting that Tesla still sells more electric vehicles than GM.

Though Musk may be a polarizing figure, demand for EVs remains strong. Increased competition has also led to more innovation in the EV field, making planet-friendlier vehicles more widespread and accessible for people.

Switching to an electric vehicle is a great way to save money, no matter whether you choose a Tesla, a GM, or another brand of EV. Energy company Octopus Energy wrote that "drivers pay about half as much annually as petrol cars on tax, maintenance and fuel," according to data from Direct Line.

One way to make the costs of EV ownership even more affordable is by using solar power to charge your vehicle, which is cheaper than relying on public charging stations or the grid. EnergySage makes it simple to compare quotes from trusted local installers and save up to $10,000 on those upfront costs.

Do you think Tesla can bounce back from its recent struggles?

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