Tesla Owners Transitioning to Diesels Could Be the Most Amusing Change of 2025 | Carscoops

      A maturing product line and Elon Musk's political affiliations are believed to be significant factors in this change.

      20 hours ago

      by Brad Anderson

      Tesla’s brand loyalty has experienced a considerable decline over the past year.

      Numerous past electric vehicle (EV) owners are opting for gasoline and diesel alternatives.

      Telsa's loyalty now ranks below Ford but remains ahead of Chevrolet.

      Not long ago, traditional automakers were finding it difficult to compete with Tesla as increasing numbers of consumers transitioned from gasoline vehicles to the electric lineup from the Californian company. However, current data indicates a change in this trend. Recent figures indicate a significant decline in Tesla’s brand loyalty, with an increasing number of owners switching to competing brands and, in some instances, abandoning EVs altogether for diesel trucks from manufacturers like Chevrolet and Ford.

      

      According to a new study by S&P Global, Tesla’s brand loyalty in the US fell by 9.4 percent in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year, dropping to 58.1 percent. This places the company behind Ford, which stands at 59.6 percent, although it still surpasses Chevrolet at 58 percent, Toyota at 57.3 percent, Honda at 54.9 percent, and Mercedes-Benz at 54.2 percent.

      Deteriorating Line-Up and Brand Perception

      

      S&P Global reports that Tesla's loyalty rates have begun to decline earlier this year, attributed partly to its outdated product offerings and dependency on just two high-selling models, the Model 3 and Model Y. While both vehicles have undergone updates, their core design originates from several years ago. Without new introductions, consumers are increasingly drawn to rival brands providing a wider range of options. Moreover, Elon Musk's political views continue to alienate a segment of Tesla's customer base.

      

      Experts emphasize that Tesla's downturn is not merely a rejection of electric vehicles but reflects purchasers gravitating to brands that present more varied options and features. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota are among the primary beneficiaries when Tesla sedan and SUV buyers switch, spotlighting the brand's limited selection.

      Transitioning to Alternative Fuels, Including Diesel

      Among those departing Tesla, 68.9 percent selected another EV as their next vehicle in the first half of this year, a decline from the mid-70s peak in 2023. The remaining 31.1 percent opted for different fuel types, with 28.2 percent selecting hybrids and an unexpected 2.9 percent choosing diesel, a surprising decision for former EV users.

      

      Other intriguing insights from the study reveal that when former Tesla owners shifted to Chevrolet, 55 percent reverted to gasoline models, 37 percent opted for another EV, while nearly 8 percent somehow chose diesel, as reported by Autonews. The report does not clarify this last group, but it is easy to speculate that many, if not all, could be disgruntled Cybertruck owners switching to diesel-powered Chevrolet Silverados.

      

      Tesla’s edge over Ford has also decreased, with its conquest ratio falling to 1.9-1 from 2.4-1 a year prior. Among those who switched to Ford, half purchased gasoline vehicles, 29 percent remained with electric options, 13 percent opted for hybrids, and 5 percent chose diesel. Tesla's situation with BMW is similar: 47 percent of switchers selected gas models, 42 percent retained electric, and 11 percent picked hybrids.

      Dwindling Momentum Among EV Repeat Buyers

      Overall loyalty to battery-electric vehicles has decreased to 58.7 percent in 2025, down from nearly 68 percent two years ago, indicating a broader slowdown in repeat EV purchases. Traditional internal combustion vehicles still enjoy the highest loyalty at around 84 percent, although this figure is gradually declining. Hybrids are gaining traction but still lag behind both ICE and BEVs.

      

      Conversely, loyalty is increasing among buyers of other electric brands. Fuel-type loyalty for non-Tesla EVs has risen to 46.4 percent, up from approximately 45 percent in 2020, indicating that adopters outside Tesla's sphere are more committed to remaining within the electric sphere. Overall EV brand loyalty has also improved, climbing to 43.5 percent compared to about 40 percent in 2021, supported by a range of more competitive models.

      Tesla Still Attracting Many Buyers

      Despite the growing number of departures, Tesla continues to capture a substantial share of new customers. In the second quarter, it attracted around twice as many Chevrolet customers as Chevrolet managed to attract from Tesla. However, this ratio has sharply declined from 4-1 just a year ago.

      The contrast is even more pronounced with BMW. Tesla's conquest-to-defection ratio against the German brand was approximately 9-1, but with BMW now offering a much broader range of electric models,