When it comes to Tesla, Americans are living in different universes

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the divisive nature of Tesla, the electric vehicle company, and how its perception differs among its owners and non-owners. It examines the findings of a recent YouGov poll that shows Tesla owners have a much more positive perception of the company compared to the general public, who have heard more negative things about it. The article also explores the potential reasons for this divide, including the type of media diet that Tesla owners tend to consume, as well as the recent negative news surrounding the company. Despite the negative perception, the article suggests that Tesla sales are unlikely to be affected, as a significant portion of current customers are still considering purchasing another Tesla EV.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Tesla's Divisive Perception

1. What are the key findings of the YouGov poll regarding Tesla's perception among owners and non-owners?

• The YouGov poll found that Tesla owners have heard very different things about the company compared to non-owners.
• Tesla's "Buzz" scores remained consistently negative in 2023, averaging at -7.1 among all U.S. adults, meaning Americans are hearing more bad things than good about the company.
• However, current Tesla customers averaged a 61.8 "Buzz" score in 2023, meaning they overwhelmingly heard more good than bad things about Tesla.

2. What are some of the potential reasons for the difference in perception between Tesla owners and non-owners?

• Tesla owners tend to consume media from online forums, websites, and ecosystems dedicated to Tesla and electric vehicles, which are more likely to be positive.
• Non-owners may be exposed to more mainstream news outlets and social media, which are more likely to report negative news about Tesla.

3. What are some examples of the negative news about Tesla that has emerged since the YouGov survey closed?

• U.S. auto safety regulators opened a new inquiry into Tesla's Autopilot
• Tesla's sales in China dropped in April
• The Department of Justice is evaluating whether Tesla's statements about Autopilot and Full Self-Driving constitute securities or wire fraud
• Layoffs have continued in both the U.S. and China, and Tesla has axed thousands of open jobs worldwide
• Issues with the Cybertruck electric pickup, such as warranty problems and owners breaking their fingers testing the "frunk"
• Activists protesting Tesla's factory expansion plans in Germany

[02] Tesla Sales Outlook

1. How does the article suggest Tesla sales are likely to be affected by the negative perception?

• The article suggests that Tesla sales are unlikely to be affected by the negative chatter, as seven in ten current customers said they would consider buying another Tesla EV in 2023.
• Although Tesla's lead is shrinking, it is still the "global champion" for online car sales, according to BearingPoint.

2. What are the trends in Tesla purchase consideration among all U.S. adults?

• On average, just 7.7% of all U.S. adults said they would consider buying a Tesla last year, with scores slightly fluctuating from quarter to quarter.
• The lowest consideration score for all adults was 7.2% in the January to March period, while the highest consideration was 8.1% during the April to June quarter.