Tesla faces growing negative perception, latest survey shows

A recent survey confirmed Tesla is facing a major image challenge: it is the only EV maker with a net negative brand perception among American consumers. Unfortunately for the company, this negative sentiment is growing. The Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report (EVIR) polled 8,000 individuals across the United States about their opinions on EV purchasing and the brands they consider.

The survey data highlights that while 32% of respondents hold a positive view of Tesla, for the first time ever, a larger 39% expressed a negative view. This is a net negative score of -7% for the company. Surprisingly, even VinFast, a relatively new Vietnamese brand with much lower familiarity among consumers, achieved a neutral net score of 0%.

Unlike Tesla, established automakers like Honda and Chevrolet have positive brand perceptions, ranking first and third, respectively. Honda's success is quite surprising considering its limited EV lineup in the US, with the Prologue being its sole fully battery-electric offering.

Other EV startups such as Lucid, Rivian, and Polestar tended to have lower brand perception scores, primarily attributed to lower overall brand awareness. Tesla's situation is unique, as the company has high brand recognition coupled with a negative association. Quite worryingly, this negative sentiment intensifies when considering the strength of opinions, with respondents being more likely to hold a "very negative" view of Tesla than a "very positive" one.

According to the survey, Tesla's negative perception seems consistent across many demographics, including income levels, geographical regions, and age groups. In nearly every category, when asked about considering a Tesla for purchase, the most frequent response was a definitive "would never consider." This lack of purchase consideration extends beyond vehicles to Tesla's home EV chargers and battery products, where the brand also ranked last in consumer preference.

Tesla did fare slightly better in perceptions of safety (second to last) and family-friendliness (fourth to last), and it performed well in the luxury category, securing fifth place among eighteen brands.

Over the past six months, while overall positive perceptions of EVs saw a marginal increase of 1%, Tesla experienced a substantial negative shift. A significant 38% of respondents reported a more negative view of the brand, compared to only 16% who felt more positive. This disparity is even more pronounced when looking at the most intense responses, with 27% reporting a "much more negative" perception versus only 6% with a "much more positive" one.

In the survey, Tesla was the most preferred brand of public charging equipment. Confusingly, it also topped the list of the least preferred, which suggests the public has a very polarized view of Tesla's charging infrastructure.

The survey also explored factors influencing EV purchase decisions. Consumers recognized benefits such as gas savings, environmental advantages, and the convenience of home charging as key drivers for EV interest. As always, misconceptions about EVs persist, with "length of range on a battery charge" surprisingly ranking as the top concern, despite the ample range offered by many EVs currently available. Concerns about the availability of charging stations and the inability to charge at home were also prominent.

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