Tesla Model Y Tops California Sales by 50,000 Units Despite Musk Backlash | Taha Abbasi

California Still Loves the Model Y

Taha Abbasi examines data from the California New Car Dealers Association showing the Tesla Model Y outsold its nearest competitor by more than 50,000 units in 2025 — in Elon Musk's most politically hostile market.

California is ground zero for anti-Musk sentiment. The state's progressive politics clash frequently with Musk's public positions. Boycott campaigns gained traction. Vandalism of Teslas made national news. Yet when the sales data came in, the Model Y wasn't just winning — it was dominating by a margin that renders the boycott narrative irrelevant.

The Data Speaks

According to the CNCDA, the Model Y outsold its nearest competitor by over 50,000 units. That's not a narrow lead — it's a chasm. To put it in perspective, 50,000 units represents more than the total California sales of most individual EV models. The Model Y isn't just the best-selling EV in California; it's one of the best-selling vehicles of any type.

As Taha Abbasi has consistently argued, product quality ultimately matters more than brand sentiment. Consumers can express opinions on social media, but their purchasing decisions reflect practical evaluation. Range, charging network access, resale value, technology features, and total cost of ownership — on all these metrics, the Model Y excels.

The Boycott That Wasn't

The gap between online sentiment and actual purchasing behavior is instructive. Social media amplifies the loudest voices, creating an impression of widespread boycott behavior. But California's data shows the opposite: Tesla sales may have dipped slightly as a percentage of the overall market, but the Model Y maintained an enormous absolute lead.

Taha Abbasi notes that this pattern mirrors other consumer boycotts throughout history — they generate headlines but rarely move the sales needle when the product being boycotted is genuinely superior to alternatives. People need cars, and the Model Y remains the best electric SUV on the market.

What This Means for Tesla Bears

For those betting against Tesla based on brand damage from Musk's activities, the California data is sobering. If Tesla can dominate its most hostile market by a 50,000-unit margin, the brand damage thesis has a problem. Taha Abbasi sees this as evidence that Tesla's competitive moat — Supercharger network, FSD capability, OTA updates, and manufacturing efficiency — is deeper than any political controversy can erode.

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About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy | tahaabbasi.com