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.

The “interim” package announced on Monday was intended to help retain Elon Musk, whose previous pay plan was invalidated by a judge.