Elon Musk’s Political Position Affects the Popularity of Electric Cars
Research has shown that Elon Musk’s political activity has negatively impacted attitudes towards electric cars among both political camps. Liberals, who previously supported electric cars, have begun to lose interest, while conservatives, despite Musk’s support for the MAGA movement, continue to perceive Tesla as a “liberal toy”.
Changes in Attitudes Towards Electric Cars
Data published in the journal Humanities & Social Sciences Communications indicates that Musk’s public image has become closely linked to the perception of electric cars in the USA. Initially, liberal voters were positive about the idea of buying an electric car, while conservatives were skeptical. However, over time, support among liberals has declined, while conservatives have remained indifferent.
“The suspicion is that Elon Musk has become so synonymous with electric cars in the U.S. that perceptions of his personality have affected the entire vehicle class,” explained the study’s author, Alexandra Flores.
Researchers expected that conservatives might change their opinion due to Musk’s political statements, but this did not happen. Instead, liberals, who previously actively supported electric cars, now view them with the same distrust as conservatives.
Interestingly, this effect is a unique phenomenon – it is rare for the personality of a single businessman to so significantly influence market trends. It is not yet clear whether other electric vehicle manufacturers will be able to overcome this “Musk effect” or if we will have to wait for changes in public opinion.