Elon Musk as a risk: increasing sales figures or shock successors?

Elon Musk as a risk: increasing sales figures or shock successors?

USA - Elon Musk's political activities have had a negative impact on Tesla's business. The company's supervisory board started looking for a new CEO in March, since the performance of Tesla, especially at the EU car market, has recently had a significant time to be desired. In the first quarter of 2025, Tesla's number of admission in Europe decreased by 45 % compared to the previous year, which alerts analysts. Many believe that Musks could have reduced the demand for Tesla vehicles by 15 to 20 %, as analyst Dan Ives estimated. In order to improve the situation, Musk has announced that they will spend less time than Donald Trump consultants from May and take care of Tesla.

The problems for Tesla are not only within the company, but also externally noticeable. Musk has caused a lot of sensation through provocative statements, including advertising for the AfD and Nazi jokes. Activists have called for a boycott of Tesla, and fleet customers like Rossmann have already rejected the purchase of Teslas. Private customers also distance themselves from Musk by attaching stickers to their vehicles. Nevertheless, brand expert Oliver Errichiello Musks sees behavior as long-term for Tesla's global sales figures. Customers would be particularly interested in the product performance and less for the political views of the company, which Tesla continues to position as a leading provider in the electrical market, especially in the USA and China.

The rise of Tesla

The story of Tesla and Elon Musk began in the early 2000s when Musk was looking for control over something new after his release as CEO of PayPal. His path led him to Tesla, where he initially appeared as an early investor. However, Musk used his financial means to install himself as a CEO and to put pressure on original co -founders like Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Eberhard initially describes Musk as intelligent and motivated, but the picture quickly changed when Musk began to demand difficult decisions that steered the company in a different direction.

The conflicts between Musk and Eberhard finally led to legal disputes that were settled, but continued to remember the memory of the participants. This episode provides an insight into Musk's management style and the entrepreneurial risk culture that it shaped. His use of Twitter revolutionized the way in which companies can be managed, but often not without controversy and the concern for Musk's self -overestimating attitude.

brand image and future orientation

Despite the turbulence, Tesla remains true to his innovative strength. Errichiello suspects that Tesla is able to separate itself from Musk if the company continues to offer innovative products. The social division in Europe and the USA is increasingly influencing buying behavior; Many customers want products without political statements. In the long term, Tesla could even address conservative market segments if the product range meets the requirements of the customers.

The relationship between Musk and Trump remains tense, but Errichiello believes that their political views will continue to influence the market and customer perception. It remains to be seen whether the influence of Musk's political activities is burdening the company or not, while Tesla is working on playing a leading role in the dynamic world of electric vehicles.