A shocked Tesla Model 3 owner turned to Reddit after their electric vehicle‘s tire was slashed in plain sight.
“Can’t believe he actually did it in front of me too,” wrote the owner in the post to r/TeslaModel3.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
After the slashing, the vehicle needed to be towed, as the OP showcased in a series of photos, one of which displayed the flip-flop-wearing vandal heading toward the car with a knife.
An uptick in vandalism against electric vehicle infrastructure and Teslas has been persistent across the globe.
Vandals have destroyed charging stations, keyed cars, and thrown rocks at Teslas. This has been partly attributed to a reaction against Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, whose role in U.S. politics has not been well received.
Fear of vandalism is potentially one reason for a downturn in Tesla purchases in the second quarter of 2025, with a 13.5% decrease in sales compared to the same period last year.
The emotional and financial tolls these incidents place on the owners of the damaged vehicles are obviously concerning. However, the onslaught of vandalism could also discourage those interested in transitioning to electric vehicles from making the switch, setting back the move to clean, sustainable transportation methods that reduce polluting emissions.
Gasoline and diesel-powered cars produce particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and carbon dioxide, contributing to harsh air pollution, harming air quality, and hurting everything from agriculture to human health.
Those who decide against the transition have further missed out on the money-saving potential of electric vehicles that comes from a reduction in gas and maintenance costs.
Anti-EV sentiment is also pervasive. Discourse over the production of energy sources and the pollution that comes from mining has caused misinformation about whether EVs are truly better for the environment.
Experts have debunked these claims, stating that EVs are ultimately better for the environment as production of fossil fuels dwarfs the environmental impact of EVs.
Redditors were appalled by the vandalism.
“The hate for electric vehicles is real,” wrote one.
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