Tesla has lost a fleet customer in Germany because CEO Elon Musk supports former U.S. President Donald Trump.
A German drugstore chain known as Rossmann said it is no longer buying Tesla vehicles for its corporate fleet because Musk has publicly supported Trump, who is running for President once again this year.
Raoul Rossmann, who is the son of the drugstore chain’s founder, said Musk’s support of Trump is contradictory to Tesla’s mission as the 45th President has stated in the past that climate change is not real. Trump has also said on some occasions he is not a fan of electric vehicles, although he has supported Tesla and Musk and what the company has done.
Rossmann said (via Reuters):
“Elon Musk makes no secret of his support for Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly called climate change a hoax – this stance is in stark contrast to Tesla’s mission to contribute to environmental protection through the production of electric cars.”
The chain uses 34 Teslas in a fleet of roughly 800 cars, Bloomberg said. The company does not plan to get rid of the vehicles it has already purchased from Tesla, stating it would continue its operation “for reasons of sustainability and resource conservation.”
The “incompatibility” of the statements between Musk and what Tesla represents as it continues to lead the charge for environmentally friendly vehicles is what truly sent Rossmann over the edge and catalyzed his decision to stop purchasing EVs from the company.
Trump says he ‘has to be for electric cars’ because of Musk endorsement
Musk, a major proponent of free speech, has to know that this would eventually come from some companies. He may stand with the fact that he is entitled to speak openly about his politics, just as many celebrities and figures of authority do.
However, investors are becoming conflicted with it, and those who have bought Teslas based on their support for the company’s mission are at a crossroads as some are unwilling to continue supporting the automaker with Musk supporting Trump.
Of course, they are entitled to do that, but Teslas are still environmentally friendly and provide benefits to the Earth, regardless of who the CEO supports for the U.S. presidency.
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