When Australian Dick Friend bought a Tesla in 2015, he was so impressed with its environmental credentials and performance that he and his wife bought two more of the electric vehicles, plus shares in the Elon Musk-led company.

Data from Australia ’s Electric Vehicle Council reveals a 35 per cent drop in Tesla sales in the four months following President Donald Trump's election compared to the same period the previous year. Recent incidents of vandalism targeting Teslas in Australia and New Zealand further suggest a backlash against Mr Musk's political stance.