Women around the globe agree that Tesla vehicles are the sexiest cars on the market. Results from a recent study from money.co.uk compared over 100,000 swipes and matches on a variety of dating apps and across profiles worldwide. Every detail of the profile pics was identical, except for one — the car featured in the background.
The Tesla Model S blew away competition from over 70 vehicle models spanning 30 brands, boosting matches to male profiles by 113%. “Clearly, women like the look and technological advancements of this car,” says Judith Everett, President of Drivyn, a company committed to teaching the skills needed to operate self-driving vehicles.
Women remain an underserved market for Tesla
According to data from Edmonds published in USA Today, during the first quarter of 2019, 69% of Tesla vehicles were registered by men, but only 31% by women. Why the disparity?
“While every woman has unique motivations behind a car purchase, on the whole, women tend to be more practical buyers,” says Ms. Everett. ”Most leave emotion on the curb during test drives in favor of functionality and cost. Instead of drooling over Tesla’s ‘Ludicrous mode’ for fast and aggressive driving, they consider how well the vehicle fits into daily needs, such as commuting, carpooling, and holiday road trips.”
Men, on the other hand, tend to make purchases based more off of emotion, especially when it comes to cars. They put a high value on performance and styling, and are prone to buy more high-performance cars than women. Still, as is evident in the Edmunds data on other premium brands, this fact does not account for the sizable gap between male and female Tesla buyers:
- Acura: 54% purchased by men and 46% by women
- BMW: 60% purchased by men and 40% by women
- Cadillac: 58% purchased by men and 42% by women
- Lexus: 51% purchased by men and 49% by women
- Lincoln: 56% purchased by men and 44% by women
- Mercedes-Benz: 57% purchased by men and 43% by women
A more insightful clue to the gender gap in Tesla drivers may be found in Edmunds’ stats concerning buyers of electric vehicles:
- Chevrolet Bolt EV: 69% purchased by men and 31% by women
- Nissan Leaf: 66% purchased by men and 34% by women
The data on electric car purchases fits the spread of Tesla buyers more closely, suggesting that Tesla’s appeal to women is linked to their concerns with the practicality of electric vehicles.
Tesla has gotten the message, and women are taking a second look
While women have been unlikely to purchase electric cars in the past, statistics are changing. After all, research finds women consume less carbon and make more sustainable purchases than men. Women buy 62% of the new cars in the US and influence over 85% of all vehicle purchases. It stands to reason they will bring their environmentally-conscious influence into car purchases once an electric brand meets the needs of a daily driver.
“Tesla has been the first to deliver a fully-electric SUV to the market,” remarks Ms. Everett. “The extra cargo space, additional seating, and extended range are making headway with many women. Many are deciding the time is right to use their purchasing clout to show automakers that green is the future.”
Tesla has addressed range anxiety and charging concerns
Women were not a majority among Tesla’s early adopters primarily due to the first electric vehicles’ range and charging limitations. Teslas are not hybrids and cannot fall back on gas reliance when their batteries run low. Early electric vehicles made women cautious about being stranded without a charging station, but current Teslas can cover over 300 miles — and the Model S, over 400 — before plugging in. They certainly have no trouble with the average daily commute of 25.9 miles.
“For longer trips, the Tesla Supercharing network provides drivers the coverage they need to dispel any notions of range anxiety” Ms. Everett comments. “Supercharging, available on all continental US highways, refreshes batteries from 0% to 85% in approximately 35 minutes.”
Teslas offer additional cargo storage and seating
While men may be more apt to buy sporty two-seaters or pickup trucks, women generally lean toward a vehicle that can accommodate car seats, sports gear, backpacks, kids, family pets and look sophisticated as well.
“Until recently, Teslas weren’t considered spacious enough to be practical,” says Ms. Everett. “The Model Y, however, has a third-row seating option with enough seating and storage to serve as the family car or haul luggage on a road trip.” Without an engine, this SUV provides cargo room in the trunk and the “frunk.” By laying down the back and middle row of seats, the car offers even more storage capacity.
The Model Y SUV solves the space problem and packs some extra features to appeal to a woman’s fun-loving side. For example, what woman wouldn’t enjoy the Model Y’s panoramic glass roof? Moms can impress their kids with a massive center display connecting to Netflix, YouTube, and Hulu. For women who like to add a personal touch, the Model Y allows customization of the horn with ringtones or even their own voices. Finally, as with all Teslas, the Model Y’s dog mode allows women to run into the store while their fur babies wait in a temperature-controlled interior with a sign alerting passersby that they’re doing just fine.
This practical version of the Model Y is now the most popular electric vehicle in the US and ended 2021 as California’s top-selling SUV or truck across all types. Deliveries began in March 2020, but the waiting list for the most affordable model stretches into April of 2023. Women tend to be budget-conscious shoppers. While Teslas can’t be called a bargain quite yet, federal and state tax credits and rebates, along with the gas savings, make it the ideal EV choice. Just this year, a Tesla Model S proved its worth by traveling one million miles, allowing it to be counted among the top ten record-breaking vehicles in reliability. Plus, women get the added bonus that their voice is being heard in the name of zero emissions and environmentally-friendly technology.
