Can Tesla’s Brand Reputation Sink Any Lower?

This is a story about Tesla and Elon Musk's public image, not a home energy upgrade program, so there's no direct action for homeowners here. But since Tesla makes home batteries and solar products alongside its cars, readers who own or are considering Tesla home equipment may find the context useful.

The game company Cards Against Humanity owns land in Texas next to Musk's SpaceX Starbase facility. After settling a legal dispute over SpaceX equipment left on its property, the company is now raising money to build a monument mocking Musk on that land, funded by $10 contributions from fans.

Separately, a government watchdog report renewed criticism of Musk's earlier stint leading the federal "DOGE" cost-cutting office. The Government Accountability Office found that DOGE could not substantiate most of its claimed savings, including 96 percent of the grant reductions it reported, and gave no explanation for how it calculated savings from canceled leases.

Despite the negative headlines around Musk, Tesla still dominates the US electric vehicle market, holding 60 percent of EV registrations as of June, even as overall registrations slipped after a federal EV tax credit ended. Other automakers, including Ford, along with newer companies like Rivian and Slate, are reportedly positioning for an EV push in 2027 and beyond. None of this changes existing rebates or incentives for home chargers, solar, or batteries, but it's a sign that competition in the EV space may grow in the next few years.