Tesla driver stunned after discovering damage to vehicle: 'It's really unfortunate that we need to worry about things like this'

Imagine getting ready to go for a drive, only to realize someone keyed your car — on both sides. 

That's what happened to one 2023 Tesla Model Y owner, according to their Reddit post.

They told the r/TeslaModelY community that the scratches went into the paint layer, with "some parts deeper than the others." They also asked for help regarding DIY repair. Since the Sentry Mode wasn't on, the culprit wasn't caught. 

It's not just Teslas getting this treatment, though, as one Chevrolet Volt owner discovered.

Simply charging an EV can also be problematic, and that's not because of a lack of charging stations. Numerous vehicle owners have reported vandalism when leaving their car alone while the battery fills up. 

Associated vandalism has also extended to people cutting station charging cords or unplugging charging cars. Thieves have targeted copper wiring in charging cables, while some damage is caused because of anti-EV sentiment. 

These actions can scare off more people from adopting this greener mode of transportation that is essential to reducing reliance on dirty fuel sources. 

If your home has the space, a home charging station is a worthy investment. On average — not including potential tax rebates — the costs range from $400 to $700, according to Car and Driver.

An issue of contention among EV critics, which could fuel vandalism, is lithium batteries. 

Lithium needs to be mined, which creates some pollution and environmental harm. However, the dirtiest EV battery is still better for the environment than a car running on dirty fuels.

When you think about owning an EV, what concerns you most about public charging stations? Chargers not working 🚫 Chargers not being available 😥 Charging being too expensive 💰 Charging taking too long ⌚ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Cars that rely on gasoline or diesel, by comparison, require a significant portion of the 16 billion tons of non-renewable materials that are extracted from the Earth annually. Compare that to lithium mining, which involves millions — not billions — of tons of minerals that are recyclable in the right hands. 

A day could come when there'll be enough recyclable metal in play that we'll no longer need to mine for more lithium, cobalt, or nickel for renewable power. One can't say the same for anything running on dirty fuels.

EV drivers can further decrease their charging costs and impact on the environment by generating electricity with domestic solar panels. After all, solar is a clean and reliable source of energy that can also keep the lights on at home in case the grid goes down. To find local installers and compare costs for a solar panel array, EnergySage can help. 

"It's really unfortunate that we need to worry about things like this just because we own a car," sympathized one fellow EV owner.

However, another commenter was baffled that the car's security system wasn't activated. "Why in the hell would you not have Sentry Mode on?" they asked.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.