Of late, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been in the news a lot, not as the EV company’s CEO, but as US president Donald Trump‘s right-hand man and the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Trump is a divisive figure, and as the man tasked to carry out the purge of federal workers and departments, it’s safe to say that Musk – also the world’s richest man and owner of X – is viewed with contempt by some.
Musk’s pivot to politics (he has also pledged support to right-wing parties outside of the US) and his high-profile in the Trump administration is starting to affect Tesla, which shares dived 28% in February, its worst month since a 37% drop in December 2022.
According to CNBC, an anti-Musk and anti-Tesla sentiment has erupted across Europe and the US. Along with a steep decline of sales in Europe (January sales were down 60% year-on-year in Germany, for instance), vandalism cases on Tesla cars have been on the rise in the US, and there have been reports of owners being harassed too. There’s also a movement called ‘Tesla Takedown’ encouraging people to boycott the company’s shares and products.
Here’s something from Malaysia, where a masked woman is captured on camera throwing a rock on a Tesla Model 3; the act captured in full by the EV’s Sentry Mode. There’s a cracked windscreen, and possible damage to the sedan’s hood, as seen on a video posted on the DashCam Malaysia Facebook page.
Now, we don’t know if the woman was unhappy with this particular car, its owner or the Tesla company as a whole, but it’s probably not a case of anti-Musk or anti-Tesla on display. It could be as simple as an earlier on-road incident between the Tesla and the rock-thrower, but who knows.
We recall that in September last year, a Tesla Model 3 was kicked and spat on by a passer-by while it was parked at in Bangsar South. That young male vandal was with his parents, and the family was in an Audi Q8 e-tron, so there’s no ‘one type’ of Tesla hater. Again, that could have stemmed from an on-road incident.
When rage boils over, it’s easy to lash out by damaging someone’s car. Even if you can’t stand the sight of Elon Musk and hate the man’s actions, vandalising a Tesla is wrong and causing mischief this way can get you punished under Section 425 of the Penal Code. You might think that no one is around, but Teslas are guarded by a ‘sentry’ and you’ll be on camera. Feeling the urge? Cuss, take a deep breath and walk away.
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Google and you will find out many Tesla owners has exchanged the T emblem with something else including Mazda and Audi just to confuse people as many of them are not car enthusiasts and can’t differentiate between Tesla and similar looking cars.
The funniest sticker I’ve seen so far is “I bought this before Elon became crazy”
Well done. Must be hater
As above
Nazi’s car
Why nazi?
Please read more
I prefer CCP myself
The hate in this case might be related to Elon’s role in the Trump administration that is trying to take over Palestine.
Just STOP buying Teslas.
Instead of boycotting Starbucks,Mc Dee …where hundreds of workers may be laid off…Teslas..just dont buy the laptop car.
Dont smash or burn Teslas..u might be jailed.
Let there be rule of law.
People all saying that Elonazi doesn’t care about Tesla anymore and is concentrating on other endeavours, but these same people fail to realise that Tesla profits and stock prices are funding his side projects. Sooner or later, he will start to care, and then who knows what will happen…
why hate the car? even the car also want to separate from Elon
The car must be swearing at that women..
The liberals, the wokies, the DEIs, the alts, said this is halal as a way to abuse Elon.
type tudung
– elon did nazi salute
– nazis tried to wiped out jews
– malaysians not a fan of jews
so…why boycott? shouldn’t you be supporting tesla instead?