In a surprising turn of events that the automobile as well as political spheres are witnessing, the Charlotte City Council in North Carolina on June 23, 2025, voted 6-3 to drop Tesla from its list of approved electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers for city purchases. The vote disqualifies Tesla automobiles from the city’s next 45 new electric vehicle purchases to replace aging fleet vehicles.
The vote was spearheaded by Democratic Councilwoman LaWana Mayfield, who has spoken out extensively against Tesla’s appropriateness for Charlotte’s fleet. Mayfield stressed that the vote was not about Tesla CEO Elon Musk but centered on charges of safety issues and unstability within the company that, she argued, did not align with Charlotte’s values and aspirations as a “welcoming city.”
Safety concerns and political undertones
Councilwoman Mayfield cited Tesla’s involvement in a number of safety-related lawsuits as one of the key reasons for the exclusion. She said, “If we’re investing hundreds of thousands of dollars and sending our staff in these vehicles with taxpayers’ money, we should also be concerned about the values of the companies that we are investing in as well.” Safety issues raised were said to be connected to Tesla’s Autopilot technology in addition to other vehicle-related issues such as those sued and criticized for.
But not everyone on the council was satisfied with this explanation. Republican Councilman Ed Driggs, who was among three to vote to remove Tesla from the approved list, insisted that removing Tesla based on considerations other than price and vehicle performance creates a horrifying precedent. Driggs noted that other approved vendors on the list, including General Motors, Ford, and Toyota, have both been the targets of lawsuits and recalls, but still are approved vendors.
Driggs also reported that Teslas are currently in inventory in Charlotte, with 15 Teslas out of 178 electric vehicles on the road, and referenced consumer reports that show Tesla’s safety history is generally better than other cars. He termed the decision political, stating, “Let’s be objective here, the reason this has been isolated out of this long list is political.” It is about the owner, the controlling owner of the company Tesla.
Impact on city’s EV procurement and fleet strategy
Even with the cancellation by Tesla, the Charlotte City Council voted to buy 45 new electric cars to update the city fleet, although the models to replace them are not yet decided. The 2025-2026 city budget includes $2.5 million to make this purchase, along with proposals to buy 155 hybrid cars.
Urban consumer decisions usually take into account price, utilitarian requirements, and supplier responsiveness ahead of political or social alignments of producers. Urban officials certified that complying with organizational objectives does not constitute an official factor for consideration in automobile buying decisions. This caused some commentators to wonder if the exclusion of Tesla was more politics than cold-blooded deliberations about car performance or safety.
Elon Musk controversies and politics
The controversy surrounding the removal of Tesla does not exist independently of Elon Musk’s broader social controversy and broader politics. Public behavior and political party affiliations of Musk were cited by Mayfield and friendly council members as justification for the action, that the city ought to be investing in companies whose moral character is consistent with public values.
This action is part of an increasing trend among city governments in particular to incorporate corporate social responsibility and political alignments into fiscal decisions. Critics do suggest that the actions will most likely politicize public expenditures as well as restrict access to new technologies such as Tesla’s electric vehicles.
Industry and public reaction
The move has been controversial among local stakeholders and the broader EV community. While supporters of the council welcome the focus on values and safety alignment, critics caution that barring Tesla can deny the city access to some of the new electric vehicles available on the market.
Tesla itself notes no public statement regarding the Charlotte ruling as of June 26, 2025. Industry analysts point out, however, that Tesla is still an industry market leader among EV makers with an outstanding safety record according to unbiased consumer data.
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