Why the Tesla backlash could help electric cars finally go mainstream

Thursday 27 Mar 2025
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Hannah Butnitz, Research Associate, Transport Studies Unit, Environmental Change Institute, writes in The Conversation about Elon Musk’s controversial political views and actions, which have sparked an exodus from X (formerly Twitter), his social media platform, and mass protests against his car company, Tesla. Dealerships in the US and beyond have experienced peaceful protests and occasional vandalism, while sales are down almost everywhere and the company has lost almost half its value in two months.

Ironically, these political controversies may broaden the mass market appeal of electric vehicles. This is an industry that needs to go beyond the early-adopter tech bros – and now might be the moment.

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