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Comment by taylodl | Hacker News Reader

CEOs of other carmakers take great pains for you to not know their political views as they are a private matter and may harm brand image. Musk has done a hard 180 degree turn in this regard. To make matters worse, Musk has become almost universally despised. Combine this with the flop that is the CyberTruck, and Tesla can expect their sales to plunge in the upcoming quarter.

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He’s not universally despised. Even among democrats, half admire his talent and success. And in EVs, Teslas are still the best. I know you’re trying to manufacture a case for Tesla’s failure due to your political bias against Musk, but the reality is other car manufacturers are doing worse and have serious large scale problems, without any real strategy. Tesla, despite controversy, seems like it has more going for it than being just another car manufacturer.

BYD will most likely sell more battery only EVs than Tesla this year and appear to have no problem scaling, they also sell cars that fit the majority of market segments.

Maybe Tesla's strategy of only 3 models and betting on robotaxis is the right one, but they have a serious risk of falling behind.

> I know you’re trying to manufacture a case for Tesla’s failure

The CyberTruck launch has faced significant challenges, to say the least, and Tesla's sales have dropped by 50% in key European markets. In California, the largest US EV market, Tesla sales have also declined significantly. Meanwhile, Hyundai and Kia have seen significant sales increases and market share growth in 2024. These are the facts as they stand.

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