Tesla’s Ad Spend on X Has Shrunk to Almost Nothing
Tesla’s ad spend on X has shrunk to almost nothing in 2025, according to a fresh regulatory filing. After spending $400,000 on Elon Musk’s social media platform in 2024, the automaker looks set to slash that figure dramatically this year as sales challenges mount.
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Tesla’s Ad Budget on X Falls Off a Cliff
In the first two months of 2025, Tesla spent only $10,000 on ads across X. That pace would bring its annual ad budget on the platform to just $60,000 — a drastic drop compared to the $200,000 Tesla had already spent by the same point last year.
By the end of 2024, Tesla had poured another $200,000 into X ads, but that still pales compared to traditional automakers’ multi-million-dollar digital ad budgets. The new filing suggests Tesla may now be pulling back even further.
Why Tesla Started Advertising in the First Place
For years, Tesla relied on word of mouth and Elon Musk’s Twitter presence rather than paid advertising. But in 2023, shareholder pressure pushed Musk to test digital campaigns.
By late 2023, Tesla ads started appearing on Google Search, YouTube, and X. While the company has kept hundreds of ads live across Google’s platforms, spending on X seems to be the first casualty of tightening ad budgets.
Google Ads Remain a Priority
Despite the slowdown on Musk’s own platform, Tesla still maintains roughly 700 active campaigns across Google properties, according to Google’s Ads Transparency database. These ads highlight Tesla’s EV lineup and financing offers, signaling that Google remains central to Tesla’s marketing strategy.
The company declined to comment on whether X will play a bigger role later in 2025.
Inside Tesla’s Other Musk-Linked Expenses
Tesla’s filing also sheds light on its payments to Musk’s other companies.
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SpaceX Jet Use: Tesla paid SpaceX around $800,000 in 2024 for the use of one of its private jets. So far in 2025, only $40,000 has been spent.
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Musk’s Security: A Musk-owned security firm received $2.8 million from Tesla in 2024, up from $2.4 million the year before. In early 2025, it has already earned $500,000.
These cross-company expenses highlight just how closely intertwined Musk’s business empire remains.
What the Decline in X Spending Signals
The fact that Tesla’s ad spend on X has shrunk to almost nothing raises questions about Musk’s confidence in the platform as an ad vehicle. If Tesla itself is unwilling to invest heavily in X, that could send a signal to other brands that have already been hesitant about the platform.
Meanwhile, Tesla’s reliance on Google ads suggests the company is leaning into proven digital ecosystems rather than doubling down on Musk’s own social network.
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