Burn, Tesla, burn: From symbol of the future to target for vandals

Vandals targeting Tesla vehicles and dealerships could face up to 20 years in prison, US President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social.

Photo: www.flickr.com by Jakob Härter, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Tesla charging

Trump's warning came just hours after a new case of Tesla-related vandalism in the US. Attorney General Pam Bondihas charged three individuals with "domestic terrorism" over the destruction of Tesla vehicles and charging stationsin Colorado, Oregon, and South Carolina.

Tesla has been targeted in other countries as well. In Canada, more than 80 Tesla vehicles were damaged at a dealership in Hamilton. In France, Tesla's Piacenza-du-Touche location was set on fire in early March.

According to CNN, the attacks may be politically motivated and directed at Tesla founder Elon Musk because of his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Tesla under attack

Once a symbol of innovation and progress, Tesla is now under siege. Cars are being set on fire, shot at, and vandalized, while charging stations are burned down, leaving insurers preparing for a wave of claims. What's happening? Why the sudden surge in attacks?

Over the past few weeks, a spike in Tesla-related vandalism has been recorded across the United States:

• charging stations have been torched;
• dealership windows have been shot out;
• private Tesla owners have also found their cars deliberately damaged.

The million-dollar question: Who's behind this and why?

CNN found that Elon Musk is to blame for the outbreak os this specific violence. The visionary who gave the world Tesla and SpaceX has become a polarizing figure, especially since taking on a role in Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

DOGE is an initiative of the Trump administration where Musk helps cut budgets and eliminate jobs in federal agencies. The result?

• Tens of thousands of layoffs;
• Shutdowns of government programs;
• A wave of public outrage that has spilled into the streets.

Financial Fallout: Tesla Owners and Insurers on Edge

Tesla isn't a cheap car:

Model 3: ~$40,000
Cybertruck: Starts at $60,000
Model Y bumper replacement: $500-$700
Battery replacement after fire: Tens of thousands of dollars
Supercharger station cost: ~$50,000 each

Vandals destroy these at an alarming rate. In Massachusetts, seven Supercharger stations were burned down in a single night.

Technically, Tesla vehicles are built to withstand impacts, but their aluminum bodies and reinforced battery packs are not enough to withstand Molotov cocktails, let alone guns. 

Tesla faces even a bigger problem as it may land on insurers' "blacklists", meaning coverage could become extremely expensive or even unavailable.

Vandalism equals losses.

Every fire, every bullet hole costs thousands of dollars. Insurers already reconsider coverage for Tesla owners.

Tesla: A Symbol of Progress or a Political Lightning Rod?

Tesla in the US is no longer just a car-it's a symbol.

• To some, it represents technological progress.
• To others, it's a target linked to Musk's controversial politics.

As vandals continue attacking dealerships, charging stations and private Teslas, the FBI is hunting down suspects, and insurance companies are adjusting their policies.

Tesla still has its advantages:

• Fuel savings
• 400-500 km range
• High-tech features

Yet, downsides are stacking up:

• Rising vandalism risk
• Higher insurance costs
• Falling sales (Tesla reported its first-ever decline in 2024)

Musk is fighting back-posting about "terrorism" on X, promising new anti-vandalism features while pushing for harsher penalties.

The future of Tesla in the US remains uncertain until the smoke from burning Cybertrucks clears.

Details

Tesla Inc  is an American multinational automotive and clean energy company. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, it designs, manufactures and sells battery electric vehicles (BEVs), stationary battery energy storage devices from home to grid-scale, solar panels and solar shingles, and related products and services.Tesla was incorporated in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning as Tesla Motors. Its name is a tribute to inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla. In February 2004, Elon Musk led Tesla's first funding round and became the company's chairman; in 2008, he was named chief executive officer. In 2008, the company began production of its first car model, the Roadster sports car, followed by the Model S sedan in 2012, the Model X SUV in 2015, the Model 3 sedan in 2017, the Model Y crossover in 2020, the Tesla Semi truck in 2022 and the Cybertruck pickup truck in 2023.