Tesla deliveries drop 13% as buyers flee Musk's political controversies

On Apr. 15, 2025, Tesla reported Q1 deliveries of 336,700 vehicles, down 13% year-over-year—the company’s weakest quarter in almost three years; customer surveys cited Elon Musk’s political controversies as a key reason that 42% of buyers waited or canceled orders (Reuters Q1 preview 2025-04-02; Topic Description 2025-04-15).

In Apr. 2025, new Tesla registrations across 25 EU countries plunged 44%, while BYD achieved 7,231 battery-electric vehicle registrations versus Tesla’s 7,165, marking BYD’s first outselling of Tesla in Europe (The Guardian 2025-03-24; Reuters BYD 2025-05-22).

A May 2025 Axios-Harris poll found Tesla’s corporate reputation ranking slid from 12th in 2024 to 62nd, underscoring how executive activism has eroded brand equity (EVxL/Axios 2025-05-20; Reuters sentiment 2025-05-21).