Poland’s Sports Minister Sławomir Nitras has called for a consumer boycott of Tesla, following Elon Musk’s recent statements during an Alternative for Germany (AfD) event in Germany. During his appearance at the event, Musk suggested that Germany should “move past” its historical guilt over the Nazi era.
The timing of Musk’s comments, made just days before the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, sparked outrage across Poland and beyond.
Nitras, a member of Poland’s ruling Civic Platform party, did not hold back in his condemnation of Musk, calling for all Pole’s to boycott Tesla.
“There is no justification for any reasonable Pole to continue purchasing Teslas. A serious and strong response is necessary, including a consumer boycott,” he said in a radio interview. The minister argued that Musk’s comments undermine historical accountability and risk fueling revisionist narratives about World War II. (via Polish Press Agency)
Poland suffered immense losses during the war, losing six million citizens, half of whom were Jewish, with the country remaining sensitive to any comments perceived as downplaying Germany’s past atrocities. Nitras’ remarks have been echoed by other officials who view Musk’s participation in the AfD event as tacit endorsement of far-right ideology.
However, the effectiveness of a Tesla boycott in Poland remains questionable. While Tesla has established a presence in the country with five showrooms and fifteen Supercharger stations, its sales numbers are relatively modest. Last year, Tesla sold just over 4,400 cars in Poland, a small fraction of the national automotive market. Electric vehicles (EVs), in general, account for only 3% of Poland’s new car sales, among the lowest adopters of EVs in the European Union (EU).
Despite the backlash, Tesla’s operations in Poland are unlikely to be significantly affected by the call for a boycott. The company’s long-term prospects in the Polish market will depend more on economic factors and government incentives than on political disputes. In fact, Poland’s new EV subsidy program, set to launch in February, could benefit Tesla with incentives on EV purchases.
Musk has yet to publicly respond to Nitras’ comments.
