Poll Shows Drop in EV Popularity With Dems

It appears that Elon Musk's involvement with Trump and DOGE has had the effect of souring Democrats on electric vehicles...

Critics of big government, like myself, have long questioned its ability to navigate complex markets without being hindered by its ideology. A recent Politico poll confirms this skepticism, showing that Democrats are losing momentum on electric vehicles (EVs), with Elon Musk's politicization being a key factor behind it. The Electric Vehicle Intelligence Report, issued just before the Senate voted to repeal California’s approval to ban gas-powered cars by 2035, finds 56% of Democrats now oppose the credit-trading system that accelerated Tesla's success, with 20% in its favor. It's a stunning reversal from the party's previous zealous embrace of EVs as a climate solution. The poll suggests that both Musk's role as a Trump ally and his leadership of the polarizing Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have harmed Tesla's brand among liberals and Democrats, contributing to anemic electric vehicle (EV) sales in California, which declined slightly in Q1 2025 compared to the previous year.

If one person like Musk can erode support for a policy once hailed as planet-saving, the question is: how committed to EVs is the left? The evidence suggests Democratic support is more about ideological showmanship than green conviction. The left's EV push has leaned most aggressively on mandates and subsidies, hoping bureaucrats can outsmart markets or personal inclination. And yet, the Politico poll reveals that even Democrats question tools like credit trading, indicating their green convictions may not be as profound. Tesla's sales slump—9% in revenue over the last year—reveals that consumers aren't as devoted to EVs as politicians thought. Are EVs primarily about emissions reduction or just a cultural sign that can be easily discarded when politics shift?

The environmental case for EVs isn't unassailable, either. While they promise zero emissions, mining lithium, and cobalt batteries is expensive environmentally, a cost conveniently ignored by environmentalists. An EV factory can release up to 74% more emissions than a gas-powered car, and the electricity that powers them often remains tied to fossil fuels in most places. If Democrats' passion wanes because of Musk's politics rather than these practical concerns, it reflects a superficial commitment—one grounded in ideology rather than fact. The hard left habitually offers extreme solutions—take Green New Deal rhetoric or blanket fossil fuel bans—that fall apart under scrutiny or public pressure. The extreme progressive left they are motivated by their belief that carbon emissions are destroying Mother Earth. However, it appears to most Democrats that it was about virtue signaling.

If Democrats can't abide by EVs because of one man's politics, perhaps their green philosophy was never as deep as they claimed. The track record of big government for misjudging priorities, from profligate programs to overreaching mandates, only lends fuel to speculation that it can lead us to a greener tomorrow without stumbling over its own feet. Markets, not mandates, best dictate what drives us forward.