Opinion: Why attacking Tesla over Elon Musk’s politics undermines the transition to electric vehicles

By Anders Lorenzen

In the wake of Donald Trump’s handing an ever-increasing role to Elon Musk in his government, people are right to be angry about the responsibilities and freedoms the world’s richest man can wield.

Musk eradicating climate action

In a very short time, Musk orchestrated key funding cuts as head of the unofficial government department—the Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). 

According to the Guardian, Musk and his team have moved to close the US Agency for International Development, to slash the Department of Education, and to take over the General Services Administration, which controls federal IT structures.

Additionally, his staffers have gained access to the Treasury Department, and they have set their sights on the Departments of Defence, Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and others. 

Many of these cutbacks will have profound implications for climate action, as the Trump Administration has wholly ignored tackling the climate crisis. 

Why make Tesla and not Musk the enemy?

However, in response to Musk, Tesla has been targeted, cars have been vandalised, campaigns to boycott electric car makers have been organised, and there are reports of people who own Teslas being targeted with abuse. 

Musk’s journey to the extreme right-wing 

It was not until relatively recently that Musk became heavily involved in politics, at least not when it did not directly implicate his business interests.

A timeline of significant Musk events

• 2008 Presidential Election: Musk supports Barack Obama

• 2012 Presidential Election: Musk supports Barack Obama

• 2014 – Musk described himself politically as half Democrat and half Republican

• 2016 – Musk voiced support for Universal Basic Income (UBI) and Direct Democracy as a response to the threat of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• 2016 – Musk calls for a popular uprising against the fossil fuel industry

• 2016 – Presidential Election: Musk supports Hillary Clinton

• 2017 – In January, Musk accepted an invitation from President Trump to sit on two councils advising him

• 2017 – In June, Musk resigns from the councils as a protest against Trump withdrawing the US from the Paris Agreement

• 2018 – Musk stated he was not conservative but politically moderate

• 2020 – Presidential Election: Musk supports Joe Biden

• 2022 – Musk began to support Republicans

• 2022 – Musk buys Twitter, renames it X and starts rapidly to make staff redundant 

• 2022 – Started to endorse not only right-wing, but extreme right-wing views and politicians 

• 2023 – In December, Musk said that oil and gas should not be demonised

• 2024 – In an X debate with Trump, Musk said the only reason to quit fossil fuels was because it is a finite resource

• 2024 – Presidential Election: Musk supports Donald Trump

• 2024 – In December, Musk endorsed the extreme right-wing German political party ADF

• 2025 – In January, Musk calls for the release of the UK of the extreme right-wing and jailed criminal and political activist Tommy Robinson

Musk – a changed person

In a short space of time, Musk became almost unrecognisable. 

Elon Musk unveiled Tesla’s Model 3, citing climate change – video

Commentators who had followed him closely said he had become radicalised. Some believe that the event which contributed significantly to his rapid change of views was when, in 2020, his daughter Vivian Wilson underwent a sex change operation, which left him devastated. 

He subsequently renamed Twitter X and turned it into a far-right propaganda machine where he amplified the voices of dangerous far-right individuals. It has now more or less turned into a state-media propaganda platform. 

Musk did not create or invent Tesla

Historically, Tesla has been a fantastic innovative company, recognised mainly for having played a transformative role in battery technology and the EV (electric vehicle) revolution.

Many might not know this, but Musk did not create Tesla.

The creators of Tesla

American entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, who founded the company in 2003, conceived and conceptualised the idea behind it.

Musk joined in 2004 and provided venture capital funding. He has been its owner ever since and has played a key role in shaping its future.

Why it is counter-productive to target Tesla

The protests against Tesla are counterproductive and self-inflicted. The issue is not Tesla but Musk and its continued ownership. 

Tesla’s leadership would undoubtedly like to see Musk gone. One of its most prominent investors recently called for Musk to go. 

Weakening the transition to electric vehicles

Overall, it will only weaken the global transition to EVs. So far, while Tesla has lost ground, other EV makers have remained stable. But in the long run, it could do serious damage to the EV brand.

Tesla owners are not the enemy

Additionally, people who have bought Tesla vehicles, perhaps because of climate concerns, should not be vilified and made fearful of their safety.

Any assumption that because they own a Tesla, they have the same views as Musk should be rubbished.

MAGA: Electric vehicles are woke  

Let’s be honest here: while there might be some Trump supporters who own a Tesla, the core view of the deep underworld of MAGA is that EVs are woke, and people need real gas-guzzling petrol American cars. 

Nio Inc: China’s answer to Tesla picks up speed

Further attacks on Tesla could improve the image of Musk

While continuing attacks on Tesla could financially damage Musk, it might even enhance his image, making him look almost sensible while painting opponents as extremists. 

It would also give a further nod to Trump’s transport policies and weaken the transition from petrol and diesel cars to EVs.

Rewiring the anti-musk campaign

That’s why I remain convinced that the most productive campaign message should target Musk’s disinformation and anti-democratic measures and build up pressure on the Tesla board to cut its ties with Musk.

Anders Lorenzen is the founding Editor of A greener life, a greener world.

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EVs are NOT the enemy! @Alorenzen argues that criticising Tesla because of Musk’s politics risks derailing the EV revolution.
Should we really let Musk’s radicalisation dictate climate progress?https://t.co/SpC2ff1LR7#EVs #Tesla #ElonMusk #ClimateAction

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