Tesla homeowners are discovering themselves at a crossroads as vandalism of their autos and the corporate’s dealerships turn into extra widespread. Autos have been spray-painted, keyed, set on hearth and even shot at. Whereas the Trump administration works to crack down on the attackers, many Tesla homeowners are dealing with a alternative: Threat turning into a sufferer or promote.
Tesla trade-ins hit a document quantity this month, in accordance with Reuters, which cited Edmunds, which supplies info associated to purchasing and promoting vehicles. Tesla autos with mannequin years of 2017 or newer made up 1.4% of auto trade-ins throughout March 2025, in comparison with simply 0.4% in March 2024, Reuters reported.
A Tesla Mannequin Y is seen on a Tesla automotive lot on Could 31, 2023, in Austin, Texas. Tesla’s Mannequin Y has turn into the world’s best-selling automotive within the first quarter of 2023. (Brandon Bell/Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)
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Some huge names have made their Tesla gross sales identified, together with former angel-investor-turned-cannabis-dispensary-owner Joanne Wilson.
“We are not the only Tesla owners who want to get rid of their cars. Was it Elon’s complete disregard for human beings as he attempts to completely disrupt the federal government like a classic tech dude without a proper understanding of how government works, or was it that awful new cyber truck that looks like something out of Mad Max and looks angry? It is a toss-up,” Wilson wrote in a weblog put up explaining her choice to half along with her Tesla.
Individuals protest towards Tesla and Elon Musk exterior a Tesla dealership in Palo Alto, Calif., on March 8. (Reuters/Laure Andrillon / Reuters)
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Wilson and her husband, enterprise capitalist Fred Wilson, apparently owned two Teslas. Whereas one was traded in, the opposite might have a extra disastrous destiny.
In the identical weblog put up, Wilson stated she was contemplating placing the opposite Tesla in entrance of her Manhattan hashish dispensary, Gotham, on April 20, and letting folks destroy it.
“My partner suggested that we take our other Tesla—yes, we had two, now one—and put it in front of Gotham on 4/20. We could give out sledgehammers, let people smash the car, and film it for Instagram. It may go viral,” she wrote.
Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Az., posted a video earlier this week saying that he too was parting methods along with his tesla. The lawmaker, who’s a retired NASA astronaut, stated he purchased the automobile “because it was fast like a rocket ship. But now every time I drive it, I feel like a rolling billboard for a man dismantling our government and hurting people.”
In the meantime, President Donald Trump bought a Tesla earlier this month to point out his assist for the tech billionaire. He stated the automobile was “a great product, as good as it gets.” He additionally praised Musk and stated he was “treated very unfairly.”
“I just want people to know that he can’t be penalized for being a patriot,” Trump informed reporters exterior the White Home. “And he’s a great patriot. And he’s also done an incredible job with Tesla.”
The president stated that whereas he likes to drive, he is “not allowed to,” doubtless on account of Secret Service protocol. He did, nonetheless, verify that he purchased a Cybertruck for his granddaughter, Kai.
On a regular basis individuals are additionally getting backlash for driving Teslas. Two Cybertruck homeowners who had been requested to drive their autos in a Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans left the occasion with hundreds of {dollars} of harm, in accordance with Enterprise Insider.
Individuals take part in a “Tesla Takedown” protest towards Elon Musk exterior a Tesla dealership in Pasadena, Calif., on March 8. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP by way of Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)
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The outlet names the 2 drivers as Joshua Hazel and Christina G, each of whom had been excited to be within the parade and had been distraught over what occurred. Individuals within the crowd had been throwing beads and beer cans on the autos whereas booing and yelling. The glass protecting the digicam on Hazel’s automobile was shattered. Christina informed Enterprise Insider that folks had been “pummeling” her automobile with an object that broke the highest glass. The 2 had been in a position to contact safety, however say they had been caught on the hazardous parade route for over an hour.
Ultimately, Hazel stated quotes to exchange the shattered glass rim would value $360 and $7,000 to take away and redo his automobile’s aftermarket wrap, in accordance with Enterprise Insider.
Christina was apparently quoted $2,000 to exchange the damaged glass on her automobile. Whereas many are promoting their Teslas, Hazel and Christina’s expertise with vandalism made them double down. Christina and her husband ordered a Tesla collectible wind-up Cybertruck and Hazel stated he purchased much more of the corporate’s shares.
Hazel is not alone in his choice to purchase shares. Whereas Musk needed to persuade workers to not promote their inventory, his followers have been buying shares of Tesla even because it plummets.
DataTrek Analysis co-founder Nicholas Colas informed Bloomberg that he thinks folks will not overlook the fortunes that many made off Tesla inventory, which can maintain them coming again if “they feel like it has been beaten up.”
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