Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, has certainly ruffled some feathers in his meteoric rise. Known for various different ventures including Tesla, SpaceX and most recently X (formerly Twitter), the South African-born American hasn’t been shy about sharing his opinions.
Some feel so strongly about Elon Musk’s views that it would influence their decision on whether or not to buy a Tesla. Since Musk has been the face of Tesla and, arguably, one of the largest proponents for the transition to electric cars, it can be hard to separate the man from the company and its cars.
In recent weeks, certainly since the US elections in late 2024, there have been increasing numbers of people publicly declaring on social media that they’re selling their Tesla, quitting Twitter and so on. Is this likely to be a short-lived phenomenon, or is Tesla facing long-term rejection from existing and potential customers over the behaviour of its leader?
A few years ago, the company’s stock price rose and fell dramatically based on what Musk was saying publicly. For investors, this was a tumultuous time – not only banking on the future of an electric vehicle company, but also contending with its CEO’s unfiltered opinions. In recent times, the company appears to have matured away from being so dependent on the impact of Musk’s word. Tesla is now valued at more than $1 trillion.
Regardless of the company’s worth, what does Musk’s continued involvement in Tesla mean for consumers? At its core, very little. Apart from the odd political jibe from friends and family about your perceived views, getting a Tesla doesn’t mean you support Musk. Equally, not getting a Tesla because of your stance on Musk won’t be the boycott you think it is.
Whatever you think of Musk, there’s no doubt that he has done more to advance the electric car movement than anyone. He’s also done more to advance space exploration in the last 25 years than anyone else and has poured money into various other big ideas in different industries, the sort of long-term, financially risky projects that most investors steer well clear of.
Controversial car company owners are not nothing new
It’s certainly nothing new in the automotive sector – let alone other industries – for powerful people and businesses owners to cause controversy that affects their brands’ reputations.
Henry Ford may be held up as one of the 20th century’s leading industrialists, but even today, Ford Motor Company reps tend to squirm when anyone mentions the founder’s name. Ford expressed extraordinary antisemitic views throughout his life, even buying a newspaper called the Dearborn Independent to use as a mouthpiece for his opinions. Although he supposedly didn’t write the articles himself, many of the paper’s worst rantings were compiled into a four-part series of books under his name called The International Jew in the early 1920s. Despite a widespread backlash in America, it proved very popular in Germany, especially with a certain Austrian-born German political activist…
Speaking of Hitler, that inevitably brings us to Volkswagen – a company literally founded by the Nazis and a personal pet project of Hitler himself. The original Volkswagen Type 1 (universally known as the Beetle) was designed by Hitler’s good mate and loyal Nazi, Dr Ferdinand Porsche, who went on to found his own sports car company after the war.
Still in Germany, BMW has been owned since the 1950s by the Quandt family, which amassed its vast fortune from factories that used Jewish slave labour to supply arms to the Nazi war machine. In fact, there’s probably not a single German company from the second world war that wasn’t involved with the Nazis to a greater or lesser degree.
And where exactly do we draw the line? The current chairman of both Stellantis and Ferrari, John Elkann, (who is also a major shareholder of both companies) is currently under investigation for tax fraud in Italy amounting to tens of millions of pounds. He has not been convicted of anything, but should you cancel that Ferrari order until the investigation is concluded – just in case?
Which Tesla models are sold in the UK?
If you’re prepared to put your political views to one side, here’s what you need to know about Tesla in the UK. Compared to other legacy manufacturers, Tesla has a fairly limited range in the UK which focuses on two SUVs and two saloons. The Tesla Model Y and Tesla Model X are the company’s SUV offerings while the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model S are its saloons.
The Model 3 and Model Y are most commonly seen in the UK as these are offered in right-hand drive. The Model S and Model X are still available, but only in left-hand drive configuration and fewer options, which limits their appeal. This year Tesla will be rolling out its updated Model Y, one of the most anticipated electric cars coming in 2025.
In a bid to diversify its offering, Tesla has been developing a cheaper model with a target price of around £25K. There have been mixed reports about whether this car, possibly named the Model Q, is still going ahead anytime soon.
Current Tesla range on our Expert Rating Index
Tesla’s first production model was dubbed the Roadster, an electric sports car based on the Lotus Elise. While the novel idea was popular in theory, sales were low and it was a short-lived feature in Tesla’s lineup. A second-generation Roadster was unveiled several years ago, but has not been seen or heard from since. Whether it ever makes production is anyone’s guess.
The brand’s newest model is the Tesla Cybertruck which has made countless headlines for various different reasons in the years leading up to and after its launch. Presently, it’s only available in North America, although some have been privately imported to other countries. It can’t be sold in the UK or most of Europe as it doesn’t meet our safety regulations.
For the foreseeable future, we’re likely to continue with just the Model 3 and Model Y here in the UK.
What do you need to consider if you’re looking at a Tesla?
If you can separate the man from the cars, Tesla EVs are still a good choice. Its models can be specified with standard or long-range batteries, and two-wheel or four-wheel drive options, to help maximise range to around 400 miles. This is significantly above competitors that typically offer ranges in the 200-300 mile region.
Part of Tesla’s early success was thanks to its rollout of Tesla superchargers. While the electric charging infrastructure was in its infancy, Tesla supported its customers with purpose-built stations that encouraged sales in areas close to these charging facilities. Now the charging infrastructure has grown, it should be easier to access fast charging stations near you and charge overnight at home.
When you’re looking for an electric car, a plan for charging is important but just like any other vehicle purchase, it’s a good idea to work out your priorities. Tesla combines its physical dealerships with an online presence so you can book test drives through the website. If the car is going to be a family car, try to take your children along for the ride. Typical Tesla test drives last around an hour, during which time you can drive the car on your own.
With any car purchase, we always suggest taking a test drive before you decide to buy. This is an easy way to explore the car and work out if it has everything you need. All of Tesla’s models have received five-star Euro NCAP ratings, which means they achieved the top score for safety. The vehicles are prepared with a future of self-driving in mind, so they’re fitted with an array of safety assistance features to protect occupants and other road users.
What does the future of Tesla look like?
Perhaps like Ford moving past its founder’s personal controversies, Tesla’s brand image will eventually transcend its association with Musk. In ever-changing economic circumstances, the company has come close to bankruptcy in the past but it seems to be well past those blips now. The electric car maker’s value has rocketed and seems set to continue on a steady trajectory. In 2024, its global vehicle deliveries stood at 1.79 million cars.
To ensure the future of the brand, it’s expected that Tesla will need to diversify its car portfolio with more affordable options. The company has already expanded into the trucking market with the Semi, an electric tractor truck being trialled by several fleets across the US. By the beginning of 2026, mass production of these trucks is expected to begin to help decarbonise road freight.
Some of Tesla’s plans rest on local regulations deciding when and how they’re allowed to roll out self-driving technology. This technology will be used to power Robotaxi, a fully autonomous taxi service that doesn’t need supervision. The concept was unveiled in October 2024 and is expected to be the first autonomous offering from the company. Tesla also has plans for the Robovan, an autonomous vehicle for goods or mass transit transport.
The company’s ambitions extend beyond vehicles. The Tesla Optimus is a humanoid robot that Tesla envisages will be a companion to help with chores and errands. Obviously, some of these ideas are a little further from market than others but if Musk’s tenacity is anything to go by, Tesla robots might be walking the earth (or Mars) in large numbers far sooner than we expect.
Ultimately, Tesla’s rise doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Whether you’re a Musk fan or not, buy a Tesla because it’s the right car for you, not because of politics. See how your ideal Tesla model compares to its key competitors in our unique Expert Rating Index.
And if you still can’t bring yourself to choose a Tesla because you don’t like Elon Musk, the good news is that there are now plenty of excellent new and used EVs from many different car brands available to buy in the UK, with choice expanding and prices falling all the time.
Additional reporting by Stuart Masson.
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