• A new survey confirms that fewer and fewer Canadian consumers are considering Tesla for an EV purchase.
Since Elon Musk's detour to the White House to head up the Turmp Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Tesla brand has taken a big hit across the globe.
A new survey conducted by J.D. Power Canada confirms that that hit is possibly biggest right here. The survey, which focused on consumer interest in a brand when considering an electric vehicle purchase, reveals that only 13 percent of potential EV buyers would put Tesla on their shopping list. At the same time last year, that figure was 29 percent.
That has knocked Tesla down from second to eighth place among brands considered by consumers. J.D. Power Canada notes that’s the largest year-over-year change observed since the inception of the study four years ago.
The survey polled 3,979 new vehicle buyers in March and April. It did not ask those buyers to explain the reason for their choices, but it's clear that Elon Musk's actions played a major role in Tesla’s fall from grace, especially since the trend is not unique to the Canadian market.
Musk's jabs about Canada haven't helped his company's cause. His comment on X that “Canada is not a real country”, posted in February as President Trump ramped up his musings about making Canada the 51st U.S. state, was certainly an ill-advised move and an astonishing bit of self-sabotage.
Beyond that, it’s also likely that price increases for some Tesla models have hurt the brand, as has the removal of EV incentives by three Canadian provinces (Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and British Columbia).
In short, the company and its boss have displayed a tone-deaf inability to master the art of Making Friends and Influencing People.
This comes, of course, as Elon Musk leaves his position in the Trump administration.
One's misfortune is another's fortune
In situations where there are losers, there are usually also winners in the immediate area. J.D. Power’s survey shows that Hyundai is now the most popular brand in Canada when considering an electric model purchase, with 36 percent of respondents putting it on their shortlist. Kia, Toyota, Ford and Chevrolet round out the top five.
As for general interest in purchasing an electric model, intentions remain stable year-over-year. 28 percent of those surveyed are considering purchasing an all-electric vehicle. However, 42 percent of those respondents also said the withdrawal of federal rebates will negatively impact their purchase intentions.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said that the program will be relaunched, but it remains unclear when that might happen. The logical time for an announcement would be when the next budget is tabled, and that’s supposed to happen this fall.