Furthermore Tesla-Buy cars, or would you rather not? This question is being asked in some executive suites. Companies such as the Baden-Württemberg energy supplier Badenova, the Hamburg green electricity provider Lichtblick and the drugstore chain Rossmann have already announced that they will forgo new cars from the brand in the future. The triggers are various statements and the actions of the Tesla boss Elon Musk (53).
Most recently, the Lower Saxony house building company Viebrockhaus decided to no longer buy Tesla products. A so-called promotional house from the manufacturer was actually supposed to be equipped with a Tesla house battery as energy storage – now no longer.
The car manufacturer Tesla himself did not comment on the question of Boykotts. “We do not comment on this,” said a spokeswoman for the only E-Auto plant from Tesla in Grünheide near Berlin.
Musk recently spoke on platform X an election recommendation for the AfD, he is also getting involved in the election campaign in other countries. The new US President Donald Trump (78), shortly after taking office, made a committee official in which Musk’s confidant is supposed to help drastically cut US government spending.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is polarizing
“The action of Elon Musk, now almost in a government function, made us listen,” said Badenova board member Hans-Martin Hellebrand before the change of power in the White House. The Freiburg energy manager criticized that with the work of the US entrepreneur, the business location would be Germany weakened. “We won’t accept that.”
Eleven Tesla vehicles at Badenova still roll until the end of the leasing contracts, but new cars from the brand no longer want the supplier. He also says goodbye to Musk’s short message service X.
Lichtblick referred, among other things, to Musk’s multiple election campaigns for the AfD. The people of Hamburg have been refraining from using Tesla vehicles since the turn of the year and are no longer extending leasing contracts, as a spokeswoman reported. The company has a fleet in the double-digit range, half of which was previously owned by Tesla.
No support for Musk’s politics
Tesla had revolutionized e-mobility in Germany and stood for new ideas, said the CEO of Viebrockhaus, Lars Viebrock recently. “However, we can no longer support the path currently in.” The political positioning of Musk contradicts the corporate values. The drugstore chain Rossmann had already announced last year because of the support of Musks for Trump No further Tesla vehicles for your fleet.
Elsewhere, it is also indicated that Musk’s political commitment can have a negative impact on the business of the car maker. The sales figures for stickers such as “I bough this Before Elon Went Crazy”, which Tesla owners stick to their vehicles, are already increasing in order to distance themselves from Musk’s political commitment to populist and extremely right-wing political forces. Because buying a Tesla is increasingly interpreted as a political statement. Also Der Spiegel recently reportedthat Musk’s forays into politics are increasingly becoming a burden for the Tesla brand. Customers are turning away, especially in the US, according to surveys conducted by market research firm Caliber. Company boss Musk plays an important role in the downward trend.
Is going without goods or services even promising? “Basically yes,” said business ethicist Michael Aßländer (61) from the Zittau International University Institute at the Technical University of Dresden to the German Press Agency. Declining sales figures – for example due to a consumer boycott – would force companies to take action.
Tesla will hardly be impressed
However, the scientist pointed out: “Individual decisions by comparatively small companies to forego the products of certain manufacturers in their purchasing policy in the future may ensure good PR, but remain largely without effect.” Tesla will hardly be impressed if a regional one German company no longer concludes car leasing contracts.
The expert raised another question: for owner -managed companies, it is comparatively easy to express ideological aspects or political attitudes, because it is the conviction of the respective owner. The situation is often different for corporations. Because board members would have to represent an inconsistent group of shareholders.
More on the subject
The Carshar Miles Mobilty reported on the demand for Tesla cars that this was stable. “We have not been able to observe changes in use in the last few days or weeks,” said the company.
Around 380 Tesla vehicles belong to the nationwide Miles fleet. When asked whether new cars were added, the answer was that the planning currently does not provide any further Teslas. At car sharing you don’t buy a car, but share it with other users. The car of the car is usually a car sharing provider.