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Recent findings from the monthly Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report (EVIR) reveal a significant decline in American consumer trust and popularity for Tesla. The brand, once a pioneer in making electric vehicles (EVs) mainstream, has seen its standing plummet further into negative territory in July’s survey. This comprehensive report, which polls thousands of consumers monthly on their attitudes towards EV adoption and autonomous driving, highlights a growing skepticism towards the automaker.
In stark contrast to Tesla’s struggles, Toyota, a relatively new entrant in the significant EV sales arena, achieved the highest net-positive score and ‘view intensity score’ (the difference between very positive and very negative views), despite its current EV offerings being described as modest.
Tesla’s Dwindling Consumer Confidence
The latest EVIR survey paints a concerning picture for Tesla, showing that only 26 percent of respondents hold a somewhat or very positive view of the company. Conversely, a substantial 39 percent express a somewhat or very negative opinion, leading to a net positive view of -13. The ‘view intensity score’ is even more telling at -16, indicating a strong negative sentiment among a significant portion of the populace. This downward trend is accelerating, as Tesla’s net positive view stood at -7 just three months prior in April.
Delving into demographic data, Tesla consistently ranked as the least-positively viewed car company across all income brackets, with sentiment most pronounced among those earning less than $75,000. Geographically, suburban residents showed the most disdain, while individuals over 65 years old registered the highest level of negative perception.
Notably, the only other automaker to register negative net-positive and view intensity scores was Vinfast. However, 92 percent of survey participants were unfamiliar with the Vietnamese brand or held no opinion, indicating a different scale of public awareness compared to Tesla’s widespread recognition.
Safety Perception: A Critical Factor
Trust in automotive brands largely mirrored overall perception in the survey. Tesla and Vinfast were the sole brands with negative net trust scores. Tesla, in particular, registered the lowest ‘trust integrity score’ at -19, reflecting a significant disparity between those who strongly trust and those who strongly distrust the brand.
Despite previous claims by Elon Musk about Tesla’s “unparalleled safety,” public opinion suggests a different reality. Following numerous fatal accidents involving Tesla vehicles, many of which implicated their advanced driver assistance systems, consumer perception of Tesla’s safety has significantly deteriorated. Only 52 percent of respondents view Teslas as safe, placing the brand second-to-last, just above Vinfast, in this crucial metric.
Robotaxi Ambitions Face Strong Public Skepticism
The EVIR survey also delved into public attitudes towards autonomous vehicles (AVs) and robotaxis, revealing widespread apprehension. Of over 8,000 participants, a mere 1 percent had experienced a robotaxi ride and would repeat it, mirroring the percentage who would not. Significantly, 46 percent stated they would never consider riding in a robotaxi, more than double the 21 percent who would. Moreover, over half (53 percent combined) believe the technology should not be legal (22 percent somewhat, 31 percent strongly).
Despite Elon Musk’s long-standing vision of a future dominated by Tesla’s humanoid robots and a vast fleet of robotaxis, the public seems largely unconvinced. Austin, Texas, designated as a primary testing ground for Tesla’s robotaxi deployment due to a permissive regulatory environment, saw its initial demos begin in late June. However, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of surveyed individuals were unaware of these trials, with only 3 percent considering themselves well-informed.
Public interest and confidence waned further upon exposure to information about the robotaxi rollout, specifically regarding Tesla’s camera-only system’s susceptibility to sunlight. After reading an excerpt from an article detailing these technical aspects, half of the respondents expressed significantly less interest in using a Tesla robotaxi, and 53 percent became less convinced of their safety. For any automotive brand, a perception of unsafety can be devastating.