French CEO Snubs Tesla, Buys European EVs Despite Higher Price Tag: Here's Why
While Elon Musk juggles leadership roles at Tesla, SpaceX and even the US Department of Government Efficiency, his close alliance with President Donald Trump raises red flags for French businessman Romain Roy.
French businessman Romain Roy has had enough. The CEO of Roy Energie Group made a bold decision – scrapping an order for 15 Tesla electric vehicles and opting instead for European-made alternatives. Even though this switch will cost his company an extra €150,000 (approx. Rs 1.5 crore), Roy stands firm in his choice. His reasoning? A growing frustration with both Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk and the policies of the US government. Roy, who has long been committed to renewable energy, finds himself unable to separate business from ethics any longer.
While Musk juggles leadership roles at Tesla, SpaceX and even the US Department of Government Efficiency, his close alliance with President Donald Trump raises red flags for Roy. The entrepreneur, disillusioned by Musk’s statements and the US administration’s stance on environmental policies, decided it was time to take a stand.
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His company has relied on Tesla vehicles for years. But this year, the shifting political climate forced him to rethink. “Last November, we purchased around thirty electric vehicles, including 15 Teslas. In January, I decided to cancel the Tesla order," he told La Republica. Tesla wasn’t pleased. But Roy didn’t waver. “They weren’t very happy. But in life, you have to know how to position yourself," he explained.
The French CEO didn’t hold back when discussing his frustration with Musk and Trump. “They’re screwing with the environment. They’re cowboys, they won’t get my dollars. We have to fight their moralising about the environment, about Europe. The United States wants to wage a trade war, notably with higher customs tariffs. I’m stopping supporting that regime through purchases," he said. “They only have money on their lips; they don’t think about the environment," he added.
Roy’s stance isn’t an isolated one. Across Europe, frustration with American policies has fueled a wave of boycotts against US products. In Denmark, a growing movement is pushing consumers to abandon American brands. Trump’s foreign policy – marked by threats to annex Greenland, the Panama Canal and Gaza, has only intensified the backlash. As a result, Tesla sales have plummeted, while European EV manufacturers have gained ground.
The sentiment is just as strong in Germany and France, where anti-Tesla protests have erupted and dealerships have even been vandalised. London, too, has become a battleground of opposition. Posters plastered across the city draw harsh comparisons between Musk and historical figures associated with extremism, reports CBS News.
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