After Elon Musk abandoned California for Texas, it seems that Californians have had enough of Teslas and are opting for other cars.
Recent data from the California New Car Dealers Association reveals a stunning decline in Tesla’s popularity. The once-reigning champ, the Tesla Model 3, has slipped to third place in the state’s car sales rankings, behind the Toyota Camry and Honda Civic.
“Californians’ love affair with electric vehicle giant Tesla may have peaked,” the CNCDA said.
But it’s not just about the cars; it’s also about Musk’s tumultuous journey. Investors are pressuring him to tone down his social media antics and focus on delivering affordable Teslas on time. The recent exodus of three top executives and a sharp drop in revenue and net income are fueling these concerns.
Even in California, where Tesla once reigned supreme, consumer interest in the brand has taken a nosedive, possibly due to Musk’s controversial political views. With Democrats dominating the state’s electoral landscape, Musk’s right-wing affiliations may be a turnoff for many.
While Musk is losing California, he has recently made significant progress in Asia. Last week, Musk visited Chinese Premier Li Qiang after partnering with search giant Baidu. Tesla’s shares jumped after these two announcements, as it could bring Musk one step closer to delivering his self-driving technology in China.
However, Tesla faces more challenges as recently Asana CEO Dustin Moskovitz accused Tesla of “massive fraud” and compared the company to Enron.
Is this the beginning of the end for Tesla’s California dream? Only time will tell if Musk can rebuild his image and bring Tesla back to the top of the EV race!
