People like the cars because they view them as antiestablishment. e.g. better than what other car makers are building — because the establishment car makers are crooks with no regard for the world and would allow the destruction of nature for a dollar.
Meanwhile the data shows that cars are a minuscule contributor to global warming in comparison to burning coal. And that electric cars are not necessarily cleaner than gas cars when you consider what source they are charged from.
If you want to do something about global warming that will have an actual impacted you must turn China and India into rich countries that can afford be green (to use the common vernacular).
Musk's whole brand and "popularity [is based on] exploiting prejudice and ignorance among the common people" (from the Wikipedia article on demagogue).
Again, this drives me nuts.