Elon Musk's political actions have cost Tesla sales of up to 1.26 million electric cars in the USA, according to a Yale study.

The study conducted by economists at Yale University shows that Elon Musk's political ambitions, including the acquisition of Twitter and donations to Republican candidates, have had a significant negative impact on Tesla sales in the U.S. It is estimated that without the "Musk partisan effect," sales would have been 67% to 83% higher, or between 1 million and 1.26 million additional vehicles, during the period from October 2022 to April 2025. This decline was driven by the departure of buyers with Democratic leanings, thus also affecting competitors, who recorded an increase in electric vehicle sales of 17% to 22%. Additionally, Musk has negatively influenced California's progress in achieving zero-emission vehicle goals. In the third quarter, Tesla registrations fell by 9.4%, and market share decreased to 46.2%.