this post was submitted on 19 Jan 2025
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Summary

A survey in the Netherlands revealed that 31% of Tesla owners are considering selling their cars due to Elon Musk’s controversial actions, including his involvement in politics and handling of misinformation on X (formerly Twitter).

About 40% feel embarrassed to own a Tesla, though 51% say Musk’s behavior doesn’t affect their view of the car.

Musk’s leadership of X has also driven users away, with 46% leaving or considering leaving the platform.

Parallel criticism of Mark Zuckerberg for removing fact-checking has fueled similar debates over tech leadership and misinformation.

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[–] Peasley@lemmy.world 28 points 1 day ago (2 children)

At the end of the day, they are terrible cars. Teslas have the highest rate of of malfunction and low mileage service of any manufacturer in the US by far.

They are beating Ford at their own game!

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[–] Obi@sopuli.xyz 9 points 1 day ago

From my personal observations and conversations with people in the Netherlands this seems about right, and I'd say the 51% are mostly going to be more in the "don't care" camp, with a tiny portion maybe having a positive view of Elon/maga, we do have right wingers here too even if they're different.

[–] aesthelete@lemmy.world 13 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Is this the new "maga supporters are thinking of not supporting trump" headline for the next ten years?

Sell it or don't sell it. Who cares? 🥱

[–] hmonkey@lemy.lol 10 points 1 day ago (4 children)

I don't know what the CEO of most companies I buy from is like. I don't know how many of them were friends with Epstein or deny the Holocaust or want slavery to be legal, and I fear if I did know, it would be very difficult to maintain all the boycotts. That and Teslas have some wicked acceleration so I don't blame people for having them. Unless it's a cybertruck, those things are ugly af

[–] Soup@lemmy.world 21 points 1 day ago (12 children)

Teslas also have some horrific privacy/ownership issues, sub-par build quality, and have regularly locked people inside during fires. They also have shitty door handles that ice over in winter, use software updates as a crutch, and Elon Musk makes other vehicle manufacturer CEOs look like saints.

Also, you don’t need to buy from all of them. Subaru is a real company that doesn’t do horrific things and actually has proven that they’re honest when they say that infinite growth is not something they chase.

If the reason you’re afraid to know is because you want to buy stuff and feel good then you have a bigger problem. It’s ok not to know but to essentially refuse to know?

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[–] kungen@feddit.nu 5 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Yeah, I've driven probably the majority of EVs on the market, and it's hard to match how enjoyable it is to drive a Tesla. It's like driving a spaceship. I probably would have leased one just a couple years ago, but my next car will almost certainly be a Polestar instead.

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[–] Prior_Industry@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Only 3 in 10. Give it another year and that number will be up

[–] MyRobotShitsBolts@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You sure about that? Look who's being inaugurated tomorrow. I have zero faith in the American people.

[–] prof_wafflez@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

This survey was conducted in the Netherlands, but yes, faith in Americans in the toilet.

[–] RandomVideos@programming.dev 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

What would selling the car accomplish?

The same amount of people will own a tesla either way

[–] WeUnite@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago

It will reduce demand for new Teslas. The people who sell their Teslas will buy a different brand and some people who still for whatever reason want to buy a Tesla will buy a used one instead of a new one.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

It’s so unfortunate - teslas are really nice cars now that theyve dialed in the quality. Its a perfect size for my needs, has great range for road trips, has features not available elsewhere at any price, and it’s a gadget lovers dream. I really don’t see anything comparable to my Model Y, and so many less capable cars are so much more expensive. Maybe that will start to change this year as other brands start being able to use Tesla Superchargers, but they all really seem a couple years behind in technology, or way too expensive

Ever since musk doubled down on a submarine for rescuing those kids from a cave and clearly couldn’t accept criticism, what has this guy been thinking. I’ll always appreciate his middle career when he helped establish some visionary, inspirational companies like Tesla , SpaceX, StarLink, but he really lost touch with reality. I guess when you have ungodly amounts of money, it’s too easy to see yourself as a god, or something.

[–] WeUnite@lemm.ee 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

I heard that Tesla lies about the range, it's lower than they say.

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-batteries-range/

About a decade ago, Tesla rigged the dashboard readouts in its electric cars to provide “rosy” projections of how far owners can drive before needing to recharge, a source told Reuters. The automaker last year became so inundated with driving-range complaints that it created a special team to cancel owners’ service appointments.

[–] domi@lemmy.secnd.me 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

The range in the dashboard is optimistic because the car does not know where you are going. The range in the navigation is pessimistic and usually spot on within +- 2%.

[–] WeUnite@lemm.ee 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

It's not just because the car doesn't know where you're going. It's an intentional lie that Elon Musk specifically ordered. From the article:

The directive to present the optimistic range estimates came from Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk, this person said.

“Elon wanted to show good range numbers when fully charged,” the person said, adding: “When you buy a car off the lot seeing 350-mile, 400-mile range, it makes you feel good.”

Tesla’s intentional inflation of in-dash range-meter projections and the creation of its range-complaints diversion team have not been previously reported.

[–] domi@lemmy.secnd.me 2 points 1 day ago

As much as I hate the guy, that just says exactly what I just said, the range is optimistic by default. Which is how every brand new EV I have ever been in measures its range when not moving/navigating, if estimated range is even shown.

Applies to non-EVs as well, they don't go: "we will show the worst possible range estimation so we look bad". They show the range estimate of an old granny going 30 in a beautiful Californian summer and then slowly correct it once more data is available.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 0 points 18 hours ago* (last edited 18 hours ago)

I don’t see how this is different from any other car

  • My previous gasoline car advertised like 350 miles on a tank, but I got about 280 between fill ups. I’m a bit of a lead foot but regularly took the tank down to the last tick on the fuel gauge.
  • my Tesla advertised like 330 miles between charges. I go more like 250, but that’s also because I never let it go below 30%

The biggest difference might be that I’m more comfortable running close to empty with the gas car …. Ok fine, I also the features. My Tesla is covered with snow but I’ll probable stay inside where it’s warm and just click “defrost” on the app

[–] rammer@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 day ago (2 children)

teslas are really nice cars now that theyve dialed in the quality

Have they really? With all the problems with the cybertruck I don't think so. Also there design issues that make them death traps.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Yes, their mass-market vehicles are comparable quality to other manufacturers.

Also, yes, cybertruck was a disaster in several ways. Personally I think it was another case of Musk not wanting to be wrong. Tesla seemed to have given up on it and the world moved on. Then people started saying where was it, and they eventually delivered …. Something. But yes, new design with radically different technology being forced out. Definitely not a smooth release but it’s always a good rule to never by the first model year of anything, much less something radically different.

Anyway, cybertruck is like Highlander 2: it doesn’t exist

[–] empireOfLove2@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Tesla are "nice" as long as you overlook the fact that they're software data vacuums on wheels that you never actually own, only "license" from Tesla.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 0 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Pretty much all modern cars are. You can’t get away from it, but at least Tesla gives some value in return. Contrast their regular software updates, to something like GMs OnStar - been hoovering your data for decades, all for the chance to advertise you into paying an extra phone subscription. Been able to disable your car remotely for decades. Been able to track you in real time for decades

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