Year's early spate of assaults on Tesla vehicles.
In recent times, Tesla, the automaker founded by Elon Musk, has been facing an unsettling trend in Germany - an increase in vandalism against its vehicles. This is not an isolated incident, as there have been reports of similar vandalism against the company in other locations.
The attacks against Tesla are potentially motivated by Musk's political activities and controversial persona. The sharp decline in Tesla's sales in Germany, which dropped by about 76% year over year, while overall EV sales in Germany grew 31%, suggests a targeted rejection of the brand. This coincides with Musk’s endorsement of Germany’s far-right AfD party ahead of the February 2025 elections, which sparked community and political pushback including vandalism and negative public sentiment.
Reports of vandalism against Tesla in Germany include burning cars, scratched paint, and defaced stores. Some Tesla drivers are now disguising their cars as other manufacturers' models to protect them from attacks. Images of Tesla cars disguised as Audi, Honda, or Toyota are circulating on social media. However, the practice of disguising Tesla cars does not prevent the vandalism of Tesla stores and dealerships.
According to Spiegel.de, there are more cases of attacks against Tesla in Germany than previously known. The number of reports of vandalism against Tesla remains low, according to the Austrian Federal Criminal Office. Despite this, the vandalism could be negatively impacting the company's reputation and sales in the affected regions.
Tesla drivers are removing brand logos from their cars to avoid identification and potential attacks. The circulation of images of disguised Tesla cars suggests that the practice is becoming more common in response to the attacks. However, the number of reports of vandalism against Tesla in Germany has increased slightly.
It's important to note that Elon Musk is currently the world's richest man. The increase in vandalism against Tesla cars in Germany is primarily linked to backlash against Musk's far-right political associations and activism, which have alienated much of Tesla's customer base in Europe. This trend is not limited to Germany, as similar anti-Tesla vandalism events have been reported in other European countries and globally, sometimes involving arson or graffiti.
On a broader scale, Tesla is facing deteriorating brand loyalty and trust in several markets, with Tesla becoming the least trusted EV brand in the US due in part to Musk’s political involvements, which likely influences European consumer attitudes as well.
In summary, the vandalism against Tesla in Germany is a worrying trend that appears to be linked to Elon Musk's political activities. The practice of disguising Tesla cars as other manufacturers' models indicates a level of concern among Tesla drivers about the safety of their vehicles. However, this does not change the potential negative impact on the company's reputation and sales in the affected regions.
- The vandalism against Tesla cars in Germany is potentially motivated by owner Elon Musk's controversial political associations and activism, which have alienated much of Tesla's customer base in Europe.
- On a broader scale, Tesla is facing deteriorating brand loyalty and trust in several markets, with Tesla becoming the least trusted EV brand in the US, a situation likely to influence European consumer attitudes as well.
- The general news of escalating crime and justice issues, including the vandalism of Tesla cars and stores, and the negative public sentiment towards Elon Musk and his political endorsements, are significantly affecting the company's lifestyle and technology industry reputation and sales.
