- Some Tesla owners are slapping fake stickers and badges on their Teslas to avoid being associated with Musk.
- Musk’s political antics, including Trump campaign support and German far-right appearances, are driving consumers away.
- European sales decreased 45% in January compared to the previous year, with EU markets seeing a 50% drop.
There was a time when Elon Musk was widely regarded as a visionary genius, an entrepreneur whose outside-the-box thinking had pushed companies like Tesla and SpaceX to the forefront of future transportation. His intelligence was even compared to Einstein’s, and his electric vehicles symbolised progressive environmental values.
But the winds have dramatically shifted over these past few months. The once visionary entrepreneur now has himself and his flagship company, Tesla, at the centre of consumer backlash, with crashing sales and the EV company’s owner throwing up questionable salutes in front of the world, owners desperately trying to hide their connection with the brand.
It has now reached the stage where Tesla vehicles — once paraded as status symbols of forward-looking environmentalism — are now being disguised by their owners, as sales figures continue to fall globally.
Tesla Owners Hide Their Cars in Fear & Anger
Social media is replete with images of Tesla owners taking creative measures to conceal their vehicles’ identities. Some apply stickers of other companies, others add decals with disclaimers about their purchasing timeline. The motivations vary — some fear vandalism based on Musk’s public stance, others simply no longer wish to be associated with his increasingly divisive public persona.
Related Stories
The change in sentiment is directly traceable to Musk’s hard right political turn. He’s spent hundreds of millions on Trump’s presidential campaign, and, since Trump’s victory, has placed himself as a vocal consultant in the government reform agenda, promising to slash federal spending and bureaucracies. This political alignment has caused a cognitive dissonance for many Tesla owners who bought the cars in the first place for their progressive green credentials.
76-year-old retired attorney Tom Blackburn told AFP that he was once proud of his Tesla but is now “a little embarrassed” and drives around with a sticker that says “I bought this before I knew he was crazy.”
Mike Schwede, a digital strategist based in Switzerland, also once believed his Tesla was something of a glimpse into the future but now just sees… well, regret. “I no longer enjoyed sitting in my Tesla,” he told The Guardian and also expressed his desire to sell the vehicle.
It’s a branding nightmare for Tesla, and analysts are suggesting that the company should quickly put some serious distance between itself and Musk to avoid losing customers to rival companies like BYD, BMW, Volkswagen and the wave of Chinese EV brands that are ready to pounce.
Global Sales Decline
As if his political engagement in America wasn’t enough, Musk has brought his controversial stance to Europe, attending rallies and supporting Germany’s far-right party. The backlash came in the form of condemnation by European leaders and businesses, with tangible repercussions shortly being felt in the form of sales figures.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Tesla sold fewer than 10,000 vehicles across Europe in January 2025. The previous year the company sold 18,161 cars, suggesting that the sales decreased by 45% in just one year. In the European Union, the drop was more serious and hit 50%. Market share also went down from 1.8% to just 1%.
Overall, according to CNBC, Tesla’s stock has declined by 25% since the start of 2025, and Musk has lost $100 billion USD of his net worth. An analysis by Bloomberg revealed that California — once Tesla’s stronghold — saw a 12% sales drop after Musk lashed out at state leaders. A survey from Electrifying further found that 60% of potential buyers say Musk’s “controversial reputation actively puts them off” when considering a Tesla purchase.
Tesla may have started the electric revolution of cars, but the industry is always evolving and competitors are catching up fast. Musk is busy making headlines for all the wrong reasons but other automakers are doing what Tesla used to: focusing on innovation, affordability, and mass adoption.
At this rate, Tesla might just become the Blackberry of EVs — a pioneer that got too comfortable at the top and ignored the warning signs. Maybe one day, Musk will realise that chasing political influence was not worth watching his empire crumble for, but until then, don’t be surprised if you see more Teslas wrapped in disguise, with their owners pretending they bought a different car.
