The r/TeslaModelY subreddit should ostensibly be a forum for people to learn about, discuss, and share appreciation of their Tesla electric vehicles. However, that's not exactly the case — not entirely, at least. An inordinate number of posts have a common and surely unpleasant theme for Tesla owners: brand-new vehicles being keyed.
One user recently provided another example of this trend with a post titled "Brand new MYP was Keyed."
The March post contains two images of the trunk of a Tesla Model Y Performance that's so new it still has temporary plates on it. Right beneath the rear temporary plate is a long, conspicuous scratch.
"Had it less than one week. Unfortunately did not have sentry mode on," the caption reads. "Feel like I was targeted because I still have temporary tags on. Anybody else experienced vandalism with their Teslas?"
As previously mentioned, this act of vandalism is no isolated incident. Posts like these are common on Tesla subreddits, particularly in recent months. While it's often impossible to be sure about motives for any isolated cases like this, it's possible it could have been a form of political protest against Tesla CEO Elon Musk, now the controversial head of the Department of Government Efficiency, as Reuters has reported to be the reasoning for many such cases.
Regardless of the motivations behind these Tesla vandals, instances like this can damage the EV movement. Potential EV buyers may become more reluctant, knowing that their brand-new vehicle might be a roaming target for vandals, since reports of EV vandalism were not uncommon prior to Musk's involvement in politics, ostensibly as a protest against the move away from fossil fuels. And it's not the car owner or the car company that suffers the most from this — it's the planet and humanity as a whole.
EVs have had detractors long before the days of DOGE, but all evidence points to them being better for your wallet and better for the planet. EVs are more efficient, produce no direct air pollution, and impact the planet less than gas cars.
Some argue that the costs of EV battery production make them just as detrimental to the planet as gas vehicles. That's one of several common EV myths. Though producing batteries certainly does require energy and creates some pollution, that is easily offset by the total lack of pollution from drilling for oil and from the vehicle itself burning gas.
Knowing all of this, regardless of any criticisms of the CEO of the company making the car, it's nonetheless a shame that the OP of this post sought to reduce their environmental impact and essentially got punished for it when there are other ways to voice those criticisms of Musk.
Commenters on the post tended to agree.
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Elon is the man 🥰 "This is unacceptable," one said. "People need to grow the F up."
"Sorry this happened to you," another offered. "Really messed up."
"So many idiots in the world," a third opined. "Sad that people feel violence against other people and their property is acceptable."
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