The consumer displeasure is real, and Musk's political allegiances have pushed some buyers to new and different brands. There's evidence of the effect this is having on Tesla's once-spotless brand image, according to new data from S&P Global Mobility, which tracks sales data across the automotive industry.

Tesla's board approved a compensation package for Elon Musk worth about $29 billion in order to keep the chief executive focused on the company.