When Jennifer Trebbbb was taken for the first time on her way two years ago with her elegant Tesla Model Y, she was – as she put it – “like a moment” back to the future “moment”.
He was helping the environment, he said, but driving a Tesla also had a Cachet. “It was definitely a little cool time to have something that was innovative and different,” he said.
However, Ms Trebb recently made a shift, uniting the ranks of Tesla owners in the United States and abroad-known, including singer Sheryl Crow-selling their vehicles because the values and policy of billionaire director Elon Musk. His role in Trump’s administration, which exercises his power in the federal government, has exacerbated this tension.
Buyer’s regret plays at a volatile moment for Tesla, as stocks were reduced by double digits last week, wiping most of a post-election increase for Mr Musk’s company. A recent exhibition has shown a city of sales in Europe and the company is facing increased competition from other EV manufacturers eating away in its market share. Recent protests outside the Tesla showrooms in the United States and some notable cases of owners of vehicles that are also harassed have also made headlines.
Ms Trebb, 54, a family therapist and democrat, said she decided to market her Tesla for a Mercedes powered by gas, accepting $ 32,000 from Tesla’s $ 55,880 original value, despite her only 10,000 miles. Her decision, she said, cement during a recent trip to the supermarket.
“Two weeks ago, I was named Nazi,” he said, “in the Kroger parking lot”, adding an executive. “I came home and I said to my husband.“ That’s. I’m over. ”
Some Tesla trademark -brand bent stated that a constant negotiation was when Mr Musk expanded his hand diagonally up, with a palm -looking palm while talking to a abandonment event for Mr Trump, a German -like gesture.
“I am a bit embarrassed to see it now in this car,” said Ms Trebb, who got a bumper sticker saying: “I bought this before Elon went crazy,” one that has gained popularity.
Tesla did not respond to requests for comments.
With futuristic curves and environmentally friendly mantra, Tesla has been in the last decade of curiosity in the symbol of celebrities to the ubiquitous. In 2015 the company said it sold 50,000 cars worldwide. In 2019, that number jumped to 367,500 vehicles and in 2021 was almost one million. Teslas took off the feed on Instagram of the rich and appeared in pop culture. There was Jaden Smith Horse Riding on the back of a pink X model with Falcon Wing Open doors in a music video. Marvel’s Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., had a roadster tesla in his car collection and Mr Musk made another camel on the franchise “Iron Man”.
In recent years, as Mr Musk became more widely known, he has criticized his criticism of his sweeping cuts in federal services in the context of Trump’s administration, his support for the far -right AfD party in Germany and his views on Covid’s lock. However, Tesla’s sales were durable and went up each year, helped what market researchers describe as a faith in the brand between customers.
More recently, US monthly sales have collapsed between 50,000 and 60,000 after years of explosive growth. In 2024, Tesla reported the first annual decline in his history.
Erin Keating, an executive analyst of Cox Automotive, a research company, said it was too early to say what kind of role in public attitudes towards Mr Musk could play in the sales of Tesla or the value of used models.
Still, it is not only the liberals who clash for the possession of one of the ECs that helped Mr Musk be the richest man in the world.
Dr. Kumait Jaroje, 40, a Republican from Worcester, Mass, used the gold cybertruck of $ 113,000 to advertise his cosmetic medical practice in an impressive way, placing a decal with contact information on his part. But recently he began to experience such a great reaction that he had to remove information from his car.
“I really got, really bad after the inauguration,” Dr. Jaroje said.
A bumper sticker with the word “nazi” recently appeared in the truck while on its way.
A few days later, Dr. Jaroje, a Syrian immigrant, said he received threatening telephone messages in his practice, urging him to file a police report. His practice also received influx of negative critics online, he said.
Dr. Jaroje said he came into contact with Tesla about the negotiation at Cybertruck, with no result and said he was planning to sell it.
The exchange of a Tesla for another electric vehicle is not the logistical challenge that was once for many new models.
“Many manufacturers have begun to adopt Tesla power infrastructure,” Ms Keating said.
Of the 20 models of used cars with the highest decline in value for the year ended in January, Tesla represented four of them, according to Karl Brauer, an executive analyst at iseecars.com, a car search site online. Two models positioned at the top of the list, model 3 (27.1 %) and Y model (21.9 %).
Electric vehicles usually underestimate faster than other used cars, Mr Brauer said because buyers focus more on value than prestige or branding, but said it was still surprising the Y model y second on the list.
Tesla’s shares declined about 13 % last week of February, further offering the company’s market value below $ 1 trillion. The shares closed at $ 284.65 on Monday, the lowest from November 5, on the election day. This decreased more than 40 percent from the top of $ 479.86 at the end of December 17.
Transparency followed a frustrating sales report for the company in Europe: The number of new Teslas car registrations decreased by 50 % in January since the previous year, according to the European Union of Car Manufacturers. The decline exceeded a 5.9 % decline in electric vehicles in total during the same period, according to Union surfaces.
Paul Unwin, 67, a writer and director living in London, said he paid an early 500 -pound finish in December to get out of the three -year lease on the Tesla Y model several months earlier to protest Musk.
“I called the lease company and said,” I want you to take the car back, “Mr Unwin said.
His neighbors were aware of when he replaced his Tesla with Polestar 3, also an electric vehicle, he said.
“People said,” I’m glad you got rid of this car, “said Unwin, adding that he was not regretting paying to get out of his lease.” I would have paid twice. “
Alex Cole-Hamilton, a member of the Scottish Parliament and the Liberal Democrats of Scotland, told social media in February that he had also sold the Tesla of five years.
“With Musk’s daily rivers, his butcher shop with a respectable public debate,” Mr. Cole-Hamilton wrote: “I could no longer drive it.”
In the United States, perhaps the most remarkable rebellion of the car brand was deposited by Ms.
Actress Octavia Spencer and musician Kacey Musgraves were among the celebrities who commented on the decision to support the decision.
Teslas is also by far the most popular electric vehicles in the United States.
In discussions about a Facebook team for owners Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, with 93,000 members, members sometimes say they have bought a car to support Elon or because of his public face.
In an appearance with Sean Hannity at Fox News, Senator John Kennedy, a Republican of Louisiana, was ridiculed by Ms Crow’s protest.
“I think it means well, but if he had ever had a clever thought, he died alone and was scared,” Mr Kennedy said.
Mr Hannity, who recently had Mr Musk and Mr Trump in his performance, told Mr Kennedy: “I have friends who teslas their own and if they are going to be boycott and try to hurt Elon Musk for the exposure of waste, the scam, the scam,
He continued: “I think it will be my next car.”
Jack ewing and Michael Levenson They contributed reports.
