Tesla registrations in Queensland have been in steady decline since the electric car manufacturer’s CEO, Elon Musk, fully embraced the far-right in the US and around the globe. Data from the Department of Transport and Main Roads show annual Tesla registrations decreased by 34.97 per cent between 2023 and 2025. That came on the back of a 245.31 per cent increase between 2021 and 2023 – and 1144.89 per cent between 2020 and 2023. Elon Musk ‘heart going out’ to supporters at President Donald Trump’s inaugural event. Eric Lee/NYT While correlation did not necessarily equate to causation, Queensland University of Technology Associate Professor Frank Mathmann said Musk’s political activities could not have come at a worse time for the company. Advertisement Chinese EV manufacturers were increasingly competitive, Mathmann said, so it was no time to alienate environmentally conscious consumers – many of whom tended to lean left politically. “These are people who care about the environment, who are happy to pay a little extra to purchase an environmentally friendly EV,” he said. “People on the right haven’t necessarily changed their position about electric vehicles. “What Musk did with his political activities is disgruntle those left-leaning consumers, without really impressing or convincing the right-leaning consumers about electric vehicles. It’s like trying to jump from one foot to the other without really being on solid ground on either.” Advertisement Mathmann said most consumers would not necessarily seek out a politically active brand, but they would certainly avoid one if it came at no cost. “This was a clear political miscalculation on his side, at least as it relates to his association with Tesla,” he said. “He has multiple businesses and whether there are benefits for SpaceX or some of the other companies, that’s a different question. “But when it comes to his human-facing brand with Tesla, I don’t think he really did himself a favour through these political activities.” Those extracurricular activities have rankled some Tesla owners. Advertisement