A Tesla owner is gaining traction on Reddit after returning home to find their electric vehicle — and several others in the neighborhood — had been scratched. The estimated repair cost? Roughly $4,000 CAD, plus tax.
The post, shared by Express-Confusion815 on the r/teslacanada subreddit, struck a chord with many EV and non-EV users alike. In the thread, the poster detailed how their Tesla and multiple others had been vandalized in an apparent targeted incident.
"I'm still frustrated, while not as furious anymore as when I saw it a few days ago," they wrote.
They added that the quote from the body shop included sanding down both doors and repainting to blend the damage. But the frustration didn't stop there.
In a follow-up edit, the user addressed some of the backlash in the comments, writing, "JuST bECAusE I BouGHt iT a YeAR AGo DOEsnT MEAn I SuPPort ELon nOw. … Not everyone can afford a $20k financial hit and sell their car."
The car had been parked at home without Sentry Mode enabled. Despite what appeared to be seven outdoor security cameras in the area, none captured the incident. "The police couldn't believe it either," the user noted.
While keying cars isn't new, growing animosity toward Teslas and, by association, EVs can discourage potential adopters. This is concerning as EVs play a key role in cutting our reliance on dirty energy like oil and gas, especially for car-dominant societies in North America like Canada and the U.S.
Even accounting for EV battery production with the precious rare earth metals required, EVs remain significantly cleaner over their lifespans than traditional vehicles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Improvements in battery technology and sourcing, increased range and charging, and broader manufacturer options are making the switch easier than ever.
Pairing an EV with home solar makes charging even more affordable and sustainable.
Commenters on the Reddit thread empathized with the Tesla owner.
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Cost 💰 "Sorry to hear that," one user wrote. "Although I despise Musk, no one should be touching other people's property."
Others recommended activating Tesla's Sentry Mode feature nightly "with the way people are acting lately," while some debated whether bumper stickers could help ward off future targeting.
With EVs still facing hurdles and headlines, incidents like this highlight the importance of community, policy, and education in driving toward a cleaner, safer future for all of us. One eco-conscious choice at a time.
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