'Thank you for the ride': Denmark firm ends Tesla use over Musk's politics

Denmark's Tscherning drops entire Tesla fleet, citing Elon Musk's political stance; says move reflects company values, not concerns about EV performance

Denmark’s construction major Tscherning has announced it will no longer use Tesla vehicles in its company fleet, citing concerns over CEO Elon Musk’s political views.

 

In a statement titled “Tscherning changes gears and drives in a new direction”, posted on LinkedIn, the company said the decision reflects its values and not the performance of Tesla’s cars.

 

“At Tscherning, we not only decide how we drive, but also who we drive with. That’s why we’ve chosen to hand over the keys to our Tesla company cars – not because Tesla has become a bad car, but in light of Elon Musk’s political commitment and the opinions he has publicly expressed, which are increasingly hard to overlook,” the company said.

 

 

“We as a company have chosen to say, ‘Thank you for the ride,’” it added. 

From electrification to exit

 

Tscherning had previously adopted Tesla cars as part of its transition to a greener corporate fleet. But citing discomfort with the political direction linked to the Tesla brand, the firm said it will now turn to European alternatives.   

 

  “We do not want to be associated with the values and political direction that currently accompany the Tesla brand. Therefore, we have chosen to replace our Tesla cars with the European alternatives,” the company said.

 

A video shared by Tscherning shows the fleet being returned.

 

Social media support, growing backlash in Europe

 

The move was widely lauded online. One user commented, “Strong signal to support European production.” Another wrote, “If nothing else – lots of signal value.”

 

This isn’t the first time a European company has distanced itself from Tesla over Musk’s politics. In 2023, German retail chain Rossmann said it would stop buying Teslas for its corporate fleet due to Musk’s support for US President Donald Trump.   

 

  “Elon Musk makes no secret of his support for Donald Trump. Trump has repeatedly called climate change a hoax – this stance is in stark contrast to Tesla’s mission to contribute to environmental protection through the production of electric cars,” said Raoul Rossmann, the son of the founder.

 

Rossmann, which employs over 62,000 people and operates 4,700 stores in Europe, said it would continue using its existing Tesla vehicles “for reasons of sustainability and resource conservation.”

 

(With agency inputs)