No way Tesla! - and then suddenly it does?
What happens when an online survey from Germany suddenly explodes in the USA? This is exactly what has just happened at the news portal T-online - with a survey that actually had a clear message: 94 percent of the first 100,000 or so participants wanted to buy a Tesla "under no circumstances". A devastating result - which was completely reversed a short time later.
But that's not all: the turnaround in opinion came with a veritable tsunami of votes - and it led straight across the Atlantic.
The sudden turnaround: More Tesla fans than ever before?
Within just one week, the number of participants soared to almost 470,000. And lo and behold: suddenly over 70 percent said that they could well imagine buying a Tesla. The rejection rate dropped to less than 30 percent. A change of opinion as it is written in the book - or as some would say: too good to be true.
And indeed: during a technical check, T-online discovered massive irregularities. Over 250,000 votes came from just two IP addresses - both from the USA. The survey was stopped shortly afterwards.
Elon Musk - not exactly known for his restraint - had previously announced the new, "positive" results on X (formerly Twitter).
Musk, opinions and the German market: a toxic mix?
In Germany, Elon Musk's image has deteriorated significantly in recent months. The reason for this is not only his provocative statements, but also his political orientation, which is moving ever further to the right - including questionable comments on Ukraine and conspicuous proximity to conspiracy narratives.
This attitude apparently has a direct impact on his business: Tesla sales in Germany slumped by 41 percent in 2024 - even though the electric car market as a whole grew by 27 percent. A clear warning signal.
In January and February 2025, things went even further downhill for Tesla: a decline of 70 percent compared to the previous year. The faltering update of the popular Model Y is cited as a possible reason - but observers suspect that Musk himself is also increasingly becoming an obstacle to sales.
What does this mean for online opinion polls?
The Tesla survey clearly shows how susceptible online tools are to manipulation - especially if there is no protection against automated input or IP-based influence. More than a quarter of a million votes from two sources? This is no coincidence, but a targeted intervention. Whether this was a PR stunt, a fan community campaign or even organized opinion making remains to be seen. In any case, the damage to the credibility of such surveys is considerable.
