Rossmann, a prominent European drugstore chain, has recently decided to replace Tesla vehicles in its electric fleet, citing incompatibility with Elon Musk's ideology as a primary reason. This decision reflects a growing trend of discontent among Tesla owners and potential buyers in Europe, largely due to Musk's controversial political endorsements and public statements. Tesla's sales figures have taken a hit, with a notable decline of 63.4% in France last year and a 37.9% slump in Norway last month.
In the Netherlands, a recent survey by Dutch news outlet EenVandaag revealed that 40% of Tesla owners felt embarrassed to own a Tesla. This sentiment was echoed by the founder of Tesla360.nl, a Dutch Tesla news website, who sold his Tesla and opted for a Polestar instead. The dissatisfaction with Musk's leadership extends beyond individual consumers; a German energy company, LichtBlick, publicly announced on LinkedIn that it had severed ties with Tesla.
The dissatisfaction with Elon Musk and his association with right-wing ideologies has sparked creative forms of protest. A startup crowdfunded group known as Everyone Hates Elon has distributed anti-Tesla stickers throughout London. Some Tesla owners have even defaced their cars with messages such as "I Bought This Before We Knew Elon Was Crazy." Vandalism against Tesla vehicles has become a pressing issue in Europe, with incidents including graffiti and Swastikas being sprayed on cars. In The Hague, a Tesla showroom was vandalized with anti-fascist slogans.
Musk's endorsement of the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has caused outrage in Germany. Several companies, including a real estate firm, have cut ties with Tesla, opting not to use its vehicles in their fleets. Moreover, the Dutch civil service pension fund ABP sold its substantial €782 million stake in Tesla earlier this year.
Karen Róbertsdóttir, a prominent Tesla shareholder, has called on the company's board to release a succession plan for Musk and other key individuals whose behavior might pose a risk to the company and its shareholders. She expressed her concerns, stating:
"The Tesla groups over here in Iceland used to never have the sort of ‘I can’t buy a Tesla because of Elon’ stuff you’d see in the States—but now it’s everywhere, and the people I talk to elsewhere in Europe are seeing the same thing," – Karen Róbertsdóttir
"I’ve defended you guys so much over the years, and you make great products, but even I can’t stick up for you anymore," – Karen Róbertsdóttir
The controversy surrounding Musk's political inclinations and behavior is not confined to Germany. In Poland, Sławomir Nitras declared:
"There is no justification for any reasonable Pole to continue purchasing Teslas," – Sławomir Nitras
Kevin Lütje of LichtBlick articulated the company's decision to distance itself from Tesla due to Musk's political endorsements:
"Elon Musk’s support of Donald Trump and his recommendation to vote for a right-wing populist and right-wing extremist party … is in no way compatible with LichtBlick’s values," – Kevin Lütje
Furthermore, Kraaijvanger, an expert on European markets, emphasized that Musk's controversial actions are unlikely to be overlooked:
"While Musk might get away with a [Nazi-like] salute in some parts of the world, European markets reject such behavior," – Kraaijvanger
Matthew Hiller, an industry analyst, observed that European electric vehicle sales are experiencing an upward trend due to shifting consumer preferences:
"I have seen massive uplift in sales across Europe," – Matthew Hiller
"Leading the way are buyers from France, Norway, and the UK," – Matthew Hiller
Hiller also shared his personal perspective on Musk's ideological stance:
"I used to want a Tesla until Elon turned into a full-on fascist," – Matthew Hiller
"Skewing the algorithm to favor alt-right voices, promoting disinformation, banning people he didn’t like. Using his influence to wade into politics really turned me off buying a Tesla—it’s a MAGA hat on wheels." – Matthew Hiller
The mounting dissatisfaction with Elon Musk has led to organized efforts such as Everyone Hates Elon, which aims to spread awareness about what they perceive as harmful ideologies associated with Musk. A representative from the group stated:
"This is who Elon Musk really is," – Led by Donkeys
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