• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
FinanceTesla

Tesla owners offloading their cars over Elon Musk backlash are in for a nasty surprise

By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chris Morris
Chris Morris
Former Contributing Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 11, 2025, 11:52 AM ET
Elon Musk holding a chain saw
Selling your Tesla? Be prepared for dealers to slash their trade-in price. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
  • Thinking of selling your Tesla? You won’t get as much as you might expect. Prices for the company’s vehicles have been plunging and now are far below competitors’. That comes as many Tesla owners are looking to unload their cars as a sign of protest over Elon Musk’s actions at DOGE.

Tesla’s stock price isn’t the only thing that has been plunging lately. Resale value on the manufacturer’s vehicles continues to fall, which could come as a big shock to people looking to make a change.

The average price of a pre-owned Tesla has been in steady decline for coming up on three years now. In 2022, a used Tesla sold for more than $70,000, but dropped as low as $26,000 by last fall. Data from iSeeCars found the Model 3’s price had dropped 24.8%, more than $8,500, in the 12 months from August 2023 to August 2024.

That was the biggest drop of all EV models.

The laws of supply and demand could push that price even lower in months to come. Hertz recently put 30,000 Teslas from its fleet up for sale. And a growing number of Tesla owners are looking to offload their vehicles as part of a backlash against Elon Musk’s recent comments and actions, particularly through his work at DOGE.

Some protests against Musk have even turned violent with some Tesla facilities facing protests, graffiti, and even attacks from people throwing Molotov cocktails.

Recent data from CarGurus shows the price of the average used Tesla was roughly $10,000 lower than other EVs in January of this year.

While all EVs are seeing price declines, Tesla’s drop is far steeper than its competitors’. Year-over-year declines last November, according to iSeeCars, topped 21%. That’s compared to an industry average of 1.4%

Used EV prices for vehicles from Ford, Lexus, Nissan, Hyundai, Acura, and more, however, all saw slight increases in that same time period.

Join us at the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit May 19–20, 2026, in Atlanta. The next era of workplace innovation is here—and the old playbook is being rewritten. At this exclusive, high-energy event, the world’s most innovative leaders will convene to explore how AI, humanity, and strategy converge to redefine, again, the future of work. Register now.
About the Author
By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Future of WorkElon Musk
Elon Musk says saving for retirement is irrelevant because AI is going to create a world of abundance: ‘It won’t matter’
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJanuary 12, 2026
2 hours ago
Healthexercise
5 daily tasks that can double as exercise
By Molly Liebergall and Morning BrewJanuary 12, 2026
2 hours ago
EconomyU.S. economy
Forget the K-shaped economy, market veteran Ed Yardeni says—instead, it’s boomers hoarding wealth while Gen Z struggles to build it
By Tristan BoveJanuary 12, 2026
2 hours ago
Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods, seated to the right, listens as U.S. President Donald Trump, left, speaks during a meeting with oil company executives in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC on Jan. 9, 2026. President Trump is aiming to convince oil executives to support his plans in Venezuela, a country whose energy resources he says he expects to control for years to come. U.S. forces seized Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in a sweeping military operation on Jan. 3, with Trump making no secret that control of Venezuela's oil was at the heart of his actions.
EnergyExxonMobil
Trump threatens to keep ‘too cute’ Exxon out of Venezuela after CEO provides reality check on ‘univestable’ industry
By Jordan BlumJanuary 12, 2026
2 hours ago
Personal Financechecking accounts
Best checking accounts for January 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJanuary 12, 2026
2 hours ago
Personal FinanceSavings
Best online banks of January 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJanuary 12, 2026
3 hours ago

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
‘Sell America’: Investors dump U.S. assets in fear of the end of Fed independence
By Jim EdwardsJanuary 12, 2026
13 hours ago
placeholder alt text
AI
This CEO laid off nearly 80% of his staff because they refused to adopt AI fast enough. 2 years later, he says he'd do it again
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 11, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
A Supreme Court ruling that strikes down Trump's tariffs would be the fastest way to revive the stalling job market, top economist says
By Jason MaJanuary 11, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump may be raising your taxes with his tariffs but he could actually cut inflation with them, too, SF Fed says
By Jake AngeloJanuary 6, 2026
6 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
An exec at $62 billion giant Colgate says Gen Z workers, despite getting flak for being woke and lazy, are actually ‘pushing us to get better’
By Emma BurleighJanuary 10, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Treasury spent $276 billion in interest on the national debt in the final three months of 2025, says the CBO—up $30 billion from a year prior
By Eleanor PringleJanuary 12, 2026
12 hours ago