The most recent data from the Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report makes it abundantly evident that Tesla’s reputation is steadily deteriorating. Once praised for having revolutionised the EV market, Tesla is currently losing ground in almost every area of safety, brand perception, and consumer trust. Only 26% of the more than 8,000 respondents to the July survey had a somewhat or very positive opinion of Tesla, while 39% had a somewhat or very negative opinion, resulting in a net positive score of -13. Worse, its view intensity score, which measures the difference between strongly positive and strongly negative feelings, is -16.
Every demographic exhibits this rising dissatisfaction. Regardless of income level, Tesla is the least popular EV brand, but it is particularly despised by people making less than $75,000 a year. The same is true for age groups and geographic distribution, with the most negative sentiments coming from suburbanites and those over 65. Despite the fact that most respondents aren’t even familiar with the brand, Vinfast is the only other automaker with a net negative score.
Another significant issue is trust. The only two businesses with a negative net trust score are Vinfast and Tesla. Tesla’s trust integrity score, which compares those who say they distrust the brand “a lot” to those who say they trust it “a lot,” is a pitiful -19. Perceptions of safety aren’t much better. Just 52% of respondents think Tesla cars are safe, placing them second-to-last and slightly above Vinfast. That’s a terrible decline for a business that used to take pride in its crash statistics.
In the meantime, Tesla’s much-discussed robotaxi initiative is failing. Nearly 65% of respondents were unaware that demos had started, despite Elon Musk positioning Austin as the starting point for an autonomous future. Just 3% felt knowledgeable, and half said they were less likely to use a Tesla robotaxi after reading an excerpt that highlighted safety issues, such as the camera-only system’s failure in direct sunlight. Of those surveyed, 53% expressed less confidence in the technology’s safety.
The survey’s findings highlight a harsh reality for a business that depends on independence and confidence: Tesla’s once-golden brand is rapidly deteriorating, and regaining the public’s trust may not be simple.
