'I bought this before Elon went crazy': Teslas targeted as Musk backlash grows
Authorities in Massachusetts say a fire at a Tesla supercharger station may have been intentionally set, the latest in a string of vandalism targeting Tesla owners and dealerships across the nation.
The backlash comes as Elon Musk has taken a major role in the Trump administration's government cost-cutting campaign. Some Cybertruck owners report being harassed, and news reports nationally show multiple dealerships have been targeted by anti-Musk vandals.
Last week, protesters across the country showed up at Tesla dealerships for a "Tesla Takedown," a demonstration against Musk, Tesla's CEO, and his efforts to shrink and remake American government, his controversial posts and the rightward tilt of the social media platform X under his stewardship, and his outsized influence on federal spending.
Some, though, have crossed the line from peaceful protests as people vandalize the cars that helped make Musk a household name long before his foray into American politics.
Cybertruck owners have shared displays of hostility from other motorists on a Facebook page, including vulgar notes left on their vehicles and obscene gestures directed at them from passing cars. Etsy offers several stickers for Tesla owners to affix to their bumpers with messages including "This Tesla does not endorse Elon Musk," "Anti Elon Tesla Club" and "I bought this before Elon went crazy."
And Tesla owners are asking Musk and the vehicle manufacturer to help fend off potential vandals, according to a media outlet focused on Tesla, SpaceX and other Musk-owned companies.
Here's a look at some of the incidents involving Teslas.
How are Teslas being targeted?
In Colorado, a 42-year-old woman, Lucy Grace Nelson, was charged with malicious destruction of property after being accused of spray-painting graffiti on signs and vehicles at a Loveland Tesla dealership, CBS News reported. Nelson, authorities said, painted messages mentioning Musk and his support of right-wing figures in the U.S., Germany and elsewhere.
The photos from the federal arrest documents also show small fires on the lot of the dealership that are believed to have been started by molotov cocktails inside vodka bottles; the suspect is seen throwing the explosives across the lot in some of the photos, CBS reported.
Nine people were arrested during a protest Saturday outside a Tesla dealership in New York City, Reuters reported. In Maryland, another Tesla dealership was vandalized, WMAR-TV reported, with the words "No Musk" and an "X" spray painted on the Ownings Mills dealership's windows.
Police in Massachusetts are investigating fires Monday at Tesla charging stations outside a shopping center in Littleton, CBS News reported, noting that police believe the fires were set intentionally.
In Salem, Oregon, gunshots were fired at the windows of a Tesla dealership, according to a story on the Salem Reporter's website. It wasn't the first time the dealership was targeted, the Reporter said; police also are investigating a suspected arson on Jan. 20.
Last month, a Tennessee man was charged with threatening to burn down a Musk-owned data center in Memphis.
Why are Teslas being targeted?
Musk, Tesla's CEO and co-founder, has emerged as one of the most polarizing figures in the U.S. and Europe as his political engagement, stewardship of the social platform X (which he renamed after buying Twitter in 2022) and provocative public statements have escalated.
The richest man in the world, Musk became a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump during Trump's 2024 campaign and has become a central figure in implementing Trump's agenda.
He has created an agency that has fired thousands of government employees, referred to Social Security as a "Ponzi scheme" and called for the dissolution of entire government agencies. He also has supported right-wing parties in Germany and called on Germans to "move beyond" its past, including the Holocaust. Musk has also drawn criticism for what some believe was a Nazi-like salute during a Trump inaugural event; Musk has denied the accusation.
What features might Tesla add to its vehicles to prevent vandalism?
In a March 3 post, Teslarati reported that the electric vehicle maker is "adding a new feature that will aim to fight off vandals as anti-Elon Musk protests continue to be a true threat to the company's owners and employees."
The post wasn't clear what that feature will be, however.
Another post on X − also owned and heavily influenced by Musk − is from a driver asking if there is "any way of getting in a software update an (sic) alarm to protect from keying the car."
"The car could tell the criminal before they start that they are being filmed and reported to the authorities," the user, Alexandra Merz, suggests.
Among the more than 250 replies is one from Musk himself: "Car could honk at people if you want."
The update, Teslarati wrote, "seems like an easy fix, and it can be installed through an Over-the-Air update."
Teslas are already equipped with security features including cabin cameras, alarms if the trunk or doors are opened without a key, and Sentry Mode, which monitors the environment around unattended cars. That feature can use external cameras and switch on alerts and alarms to dissuade potential thieves or vandals − and alert owners via a mobile app that something is happening.