Authorities discovered explosive devices at a Tesla dealership in Austin, Texas, as protests against CEO Elon Musk and his electric vehicle company continue to grow across the country, reported CCN. A troublesome new website is also targeting drivers.
What's happening?
Police responded to the Austin dealership on March 24 after receiving reports about a suspicious abandoned item. When officers arrived, they found devices later determined to be incendiary in nature.
The FBI has now launched a multiagency task force to investigate what it's calling a rise in "domestic terrorism" incidents targeting Tesla vehicles and dealerships. Ben Williamson, the FBI's director of public affairs, confirmed this development on social media.
These incidents aren't isolated. Police arrested a woman in Colorado after she allegedly attacked a Tesla dealership with a fire-starting device, per CNN, while reports indicate gunshots have been fired at other dealerships.
Beyond physical attacks, Tesla owners themselves have become targets. A website called Dogequest has appeared, displaying information about Tesla drivers throughout the U.S. on an interactive map, per CCN. According to 404 Media, the site operators said they would remove Tesla owners' personal information if they could show they had sold their vehicles.
Why are attacks on Tesla owners concerning?
The rising tensions create real safety risks for Tesla customers, employees, and even innocent bystanders at showrooms or charging stations. When anger turns to violence, everyone loses.
These incidents also have environmental implications. Tesla has been a driving force in the adoption of electric vehicles, and anything that damages EV acceptance could slow progress toward cleaner transportation.
JPMorgan Chase analysts noted, per Forbes, that "we struggle to think of anything analogous in the history of the automotive industry in which a brand has lost so much value so quickly."
This situation comes as Tesla faces dramatic sales declines. The company's European sales dropped by nearly 50% compared to the previous year, and the brand was the worst-performing S&P 500 stock early in the year.
Emerging competition in the EV market and recalled Teslas are factors contributing to this slide, but Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told CCN he estimates around 30% of that drop is linked to brand damage due to Musk's role as the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
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Elon is the man 🥰 What's being done about attacks on Tesla owners?
Law enforcement is addressing these threats seriously. The FBI's new task force will focus on preventing further violence and investigating existing incidents. Local police departments are also increasing security measures around Tesla properties.
More broadly, Tesla itself is working to address some of the underlying business challenges. The company has unveiled plans for a new budget model that will be produced at a lower cost than the current Model Y. This more affordable option could help make electric vehicles accessible to more people.
If you own a Tesla and have concerns about online targeting, take basic internet safety precautions like checking your privacy settings on social media and being careful about sharing vehicle information online.
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