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.

On August 3rd Tesla’s board handed Mr Musk an insurance policy. If his old package is not revived, he can cash in new options worth $24bn. That’s much less than his original award but still the largest pay cheque in history,

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