EXECUTIVE DASHBOARD
Your high-voltage overview of the current EV and self-driving vehicle landscape
The words most frequently chosen by consumers to describe AVs are “dangerous,” “scary,” and “not sufficiently regulated.” While consumers also choose “futuristic” in high shares, sentiment leans negative, with 34% saying they’d have a less favorable opinion of a politician who advocated for making AVs legal and only 10% saying they’d have a more favorable opinion.
Few consumers say FSD makes them more likely to buy a Tesla vehicle, and favor making the technology illegal by an 11-point margin. Forty-seven percent of consumers believe Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology should be illegal, while 36% say it should be legal. Ten percent say the technology makes them more likely to buy a Tesla vehicle, while more than three times as many (35%) say it makes them less likely.
Consumers are more skeptical than excited about autonomous vehicles’ impact on cars and driving in the US. Presented with two opposing viewpoints on AVs, a majority (55%) express concern that the technology will undermine the experience of and values associated with driving, while 30% express excitement about the promise of increased safety and convenience.
Consumers approve recent changes to fuel-economy policy. A majority (54%) of consumers support the elimination of penalties for automakers that do not meet fuel-economy standards, and just 27% support allowing automakers who exceed fuel-economy standards to sell credits to those who don’t.
Consumers express dramatically more familiarity with—and more sharply negative views of—Elon Musk compared to other tech and auto CEOs. Majorities of consumers have an unfavorable view of Musk and say they distrust him, and nearly half (47%) see him as irresponsible. While consumers view Mark Zuckerberg negatively in similar shares, intensity of negative sentiment toward Musk is stronger than any other CEO tested.
Consumers are doubtful that Full Self-Driving and robotaxis will lead to success for Tesla or safety on the road. Only 5% of consumers see investing in Full Self-Driving technology and robotaxis as the best approach to making Tesla more successful, and just 32% of consumers trust Elon Musk to ensure that Tesla’s robotaxis are safe.
Consumers are skeptical of Tesla’s value. 45% of consumers say that the value of the company is a “sham,” while 39% say it is “real and well-deserved.” Skepticism is higher among younger consumers and consumers who identify as Democrats, while high-income consumers are equally divided on the question.
Consumer perceptions of the Tesla Cybertruck are starkly negative. Nearly four in five describe the Tesla Cybertruck as “ugly” or “hideous”, while smaller shares find the vehicle design to be impractical and unsafe. Just 14% of all consumers view it favorably and 37% consider it safe. Consumer skepticism cuts across age, income, and party lines.
Consumers largely perceive Tesla owners as wealthy, tech-savvy, and supportive of Elon Musk. By contrast, the groups least associated with Tesla ownership are low-income individuals, rural residents, and families.
Consumers overwhelmingly prefer non-Tesla vehicles for rideshare or taxi use. Honda and Toyota sedans are the top choices (34%), while Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 rank among the least preferred (6%). The Cybertruck scores the lowest of all vehicles tested (2%)
Of all EV and AV brands tested, Toyota and Honda top the charts on measures of consumer positivity and trust. Cruise, Waymo, Zoox receive negative scores on brand positivity, while Rivian, Cruise, Zoox, and Waymo receive negative views on brand trust. Tesla receives sharply negative scores on both measures.
Public sentiment towards Tesla EVs has declined over the past six months. More than one in four consumers (27%) say their views of the brand have grown more negative, with stark drops across party lines—most sharply among Democrats (net -33) and independents (net-18).
ABOUT EVIR & METHODOLOGY
The Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report tracks actionable insights on consumer attitudes, trends, and perceptions across the evolving U.S. EV landscape. Our proprietary research methodology delivers real-time insights into how people are thinking about the future of driving.
EVIR surveyed more than 8,000 U.S. consumers, weighted by education, race, gender, age, income, geography, and political preference to uncover the truths behind what’s powering or stalling the EV and self-driving car transition.
THE LONG HAUL: TRENDS TO WATCH
What to watch in the fast-moving market, and where the data is going
Will consumers warm up to autonomous driving? Consumers continue to express skepticism and anxiety toward self-driving vehicles and a desire for more regulation of the technology. As Tesla, Waymo, and Zoox robotaxis hit the road and Tesla pushes the gas on FSD, how will AV makers and regulators respond?
Elon Musk’s reputation is in the red. Despite his relative retreat from the public spotlight, consumer views of Musk are sharply negative compared to other auto and tech CEOs, and consumers question his ability to ensure robotaxi safety, as well as the value of his company as a whole. Can the Tesla CEO turn it around when it comes to public perception?
Can Tesla arrest its steep drop in public opinion? With perceptions of Tesla deteriorating across party lines, the company faces a pivotal challenge: rebuilding trust and reversing its downward trajectory with consumers broadly.
Is Tesla’s hallmark futurism falling flat with consumers? The Cybertruck’s design draws more ridicule than intrigue from consumers. Will Tesla’s risk-taking design ethos—combined with Musk’s political forays—continue to erode Tesla’s bonafides as an innovator in the EV space?
Consumer Perception: Robotaxis and Autonomous Vehicles
Asked to select the words or phrases that best describe their feelings about autonomous taxis, a majority of consumers select “dangerous.” The next-most frequently selected words are “scary” (47%), “futuristic” (41%), and “not sufficiently regulated” (41%). The least frequently selected words are “over-regulated” (2%), “safe” (5%), “bad for the environment” (7%), and “good for the environment” (9%).
Sixty-nine percent of consumers say either that they would never consider riding in an autonomous taxi (38%) or are not currently considering it (31%). Twenty-eight percent say they would consider riding in an autonomous taxi. Forty-five percent of consumers say they either somewhat (19%) or strongly (26%) believe autonomous taxis should be illegal, while 36% say they either somewhat (29%) or strongly (7%) believe they should be legal; 19% are not sure.
Thirty-four percent of consumers say they would have a somewhat (17%) or much (17%) less favorable opinion of a politician who advocated for making autonomous taxis legal, while 10% say they would have a somewhat (8%) or much (2%) more favorable opinion. Eighty percent of consumers say they would absolutely not allow their car to be used as an autonomous taxi while they weren’t using it.
Asked to choose between two opposing viewpoints on autonomous vehicles in the broader context of cars and driving in the United States, 55% of consumers say that autonomous vehicles will “kill what makes driving cars in America great, which is all about independence, freedom, and self-reliance,” while 30% say autonomous vehicles will “change cars and driving in America for the better, making it safer and easier to be on the roads.”
Rural and older consumers express the most concern about autonomous vehicles’ impact on cars and driving, while higher-income consumers express the most excitement about the technology.
Consumer Perception: Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) Technology
The words consumers most frequently select to best describe their feelings toward Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology are “dangerous” (47%) and “scary” (43%). A little more than a third select “futuristic” and “not sufficiently regulated.” The least frequently selected words are “over-regulated” (3%), “safe” (7%), “bad for the environment” (7%), and “good for the environment” (8%).
Forty-seven percent of consumers say they either somewhat (23%) or strongly (24%) believe Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology should be illegal, while 36% say they either somewhat (28%) or strongly (8%) believe it should be legal; 17% are not sure. Thirty-five percent of consumers say Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology makes them less likely to buy a Tesla vehicle, while 10% say it makes them more likely to buy one; 48% say it makes no difference.
Consumer Opinion: Fuel-Economy Policy Changes
Fifty-four percent of consumers strongly (31%) or somewhat (23%) approve of the recent rollback of penalties for automakers that do not meet federal standards for selling low-emissions or fuel-efficient vehicles. The legislation receives majority support from Republican (68%) and independent (53%) consumers and net support among all political affiliations (Democrats, +5; independents, +32; Republicans, +53). Support is strongest among older, high-income, and suburban consumers.
Forty-three percent of consumers strongly (26%) or somewhat (18%) oppose allowing carmakers to sell unused emissions credits to automakers whose production doesn’t meet fuel-economy standards. Only 27% strongly (8%) or somewhat (19%) support the policy. Fifty percent of Democratic consumers oppose it, as do 41% of independent and 39% of Republican consumers. Opposition is strongest among older and high-income consumers.
Consumer Perception: Tech and Auto CEOs
Consumers express more dramatically more familiarity with Tesla’s Elon Musk than they do with other tech and auto CEOs, with only 7% saying they are “not sure” whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view of him. Consumers also express very high familiarity with Mark Zuckerberg; just 16% say they’re “not sure” whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view of the Meta CEO. Sixty percent are “not sure” whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view of Apple’s Tim Cook, and at least 75% say the same about OpenAI’s Sam Altman, General Motors’ Mary Barra, Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, and Ford’s Jim Farley.
Of the CEOs tested, Cook (+4), Farley (+2), and Barra (+1) lead on net favorability, while Altman (-6), Musk (-16), and Zuckerberg (-26) trail. Zuckerberg (55%) and Musk (54%) are the only ones who a majority of consumers view unfavorably, and they both receive dramatically lower view intensity scores (-22 for Zuckerberg and -26 for Musk) than their peers.
Zuckerberg (58%) and Musk (55%) are also the only CEOs who a majority of consumers say they distrust; Musk receives the lowest trust intensity score (-30), followed by Zuckerberg (-27). While most CEOs have positive net ratings on responsibility (with Cook leading at +14), Altman (-1), Zuckerberg (-6), and Musk (-7) see negative scores on this measure. Forty-seven percent of consumers view Musk as irresponsible, and he receives a responsibility intensity score of -17; 43% view Zuckerberg as irresponsible (-12 responsibility intensity score).
*View intensity score is the share of consumers who say they have a “very” favorable view of the CEO minus the share of consumers who say they have a “very” unfavorable view of the CEO.
*Trust intensity score is the share of consumers who say they “strongly” trust the CEO minus the share of consumers who say they “strongly” distrust the CEO.
*Responsibility intensity score is the share of consumers who view the CEO as “very” responsible minus the share of consumers who view the CEO as “very” irresponsible.
Consumer Perception: Tesla’s Path Forward & Robotaxi Safety
Consumer Perception: Tesla’s Value
Presented with two opposing descriptions of Tesla’s value as a company, 45% of consumers view it as a “sham” while 39% view it as “real and well-deserved.” Younger consumers express higher skepticism of Tesla’s value than older consumers. While high-income ($150k+) consumers are divided on the question, those with lower incomes are more likely to be skeptical of Tesla’s value. A significant majority (67%) of consumers who identify as Democrats express skepticism, while a somewhat smaller majority (58%) of Republican consumers express faith in the company’s value.
Consumer Perception: The Tesla Cybertruck
Consumers were asked to share their impressions of the Tesla Cybertruck after viewing the image below, and reactions were overwhelmingly negative. Roughly four in five respondents (≈78%) described the design using words like “ugly,” “hideous,” “dumpster,” “trash can,” “boxy,” and “tank.” With “ugly” or a synonym appearing hundreds of times in the open-ended responses, sentiment toward the Cybertruck’s design is starkly negative. Many said they would never own or even ride in one, with some admitting they felt embarrassed for its owners.
Beyond aesthetics, a smaller share (≈8%) raised concerns about practicality and safety, calling the Cybertruck “dangerous,” “too big,” “unsafe,” “poorly built,” or “impractical as a truck.” Its futuristic novelty was also frequently mentioned, though rarely as praise—several likened it to “a prototype,” “a low-poly video-game model,” or “a children’s drawing.”
Only a very small minority (≈4%) reacted positively, using terms such as “cool,” “sleek,” “love it,” and “want one” to describe its bold, unconventional styling.
Public opinion on the Cybertruck is deeply unfavorable. Just 14% of all consumers hold a favorable view of this Tesla model, compared to 77% who hold an unfavorable view.
Perceptions on safety are divided. 37% of all consumers surveyed view the Cybertruck as safe, while 39% believe that it is not safe. Confidence in the model’s safety improves slightly among high-income (43%) and Republican consumers (50%), but perceptions remain weak across every other demographic group.
Consumer Perception: Tesla EV Owners
Consumers largely associate Tesla owners and drivers with wealth (60%), interest in using the newest technology (45%), and having positive views of Elon Musk. Consumers also frequently identify Tesla owners as younger (27%) urban dwellers (27%) who care about the environment (25%) and are cool or trendy (20%). Notably, 20% of consumers associate Tesla ownership with support for Donald Trump.
The groups consumers are least likely to associate with Tesla ownership are low-income people (2%) and people who live in rural areas (4%). Notably, just 5% associate families with Tesla ownership.
Consumer Preferences: Ridesharing and Taxis
When asked what type of car they would most want to pick them up when using a rideshare service or calling a taxi, a plurality chose a basic sedan such as a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord (34%), followed by a basic SUV such as a Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V (21%). Comparatively, just 6% of respondents selected a Tesla Model Y or Model 3, and only 2% chose a Tesla Cybertruck—the lowest share of any vehicle type tested.
EV Brand Perception: Positive vs. Negative View
All Consumers
*View intensity score is the share of consumers who say they have a “very” positive view of the brand minus the share of consumers who say they have a “very” negative view of the brand.
EV Brand Perception: Trust
All consumers
** Trust intensity score is the share of consumers who say they trust a brand “a lot” minus the share of consumers who say they distrust a brand “a lot”.
Consumer Sentiment: Tesla Electric Vehicles
Consumer views of Tesla vehicles have deteriorated across the board over the past six months. More than one in four respondents (27%) say their perception of Tesla has become more negative, compared to just 10% who say it has improved. Notably, 17% of all consumers report having much more negative views of Tesla electric vehicles than they did six months ago.
This downward shift extends across party lines. Democrats show the steepest decline, with 41% saying their views of the brand have worsened over the past six months. Among independents, 27% report more negative views compared to just 9% who feel more positive—a net drop of 18 points. Republicans remain somewhat more neutral, though their views are still underwater (net –3).
