An electric vehicle owner took to Reddit to describe a frightening encounter she had while driving. The single mom and her children were stopped at a traffic light in their Rivian R1T when another car harassed them, she shared.
The offenders, who drove a gas-fueled truck and sat a couple of cars away, yelled and gestured at the EV. The truck's passenger even opened his door and acted as if he were about to approach the Rivian before closing it and laughing.
Since the EV driver believed she had not done anything to upset the truck owner or his passenger, she speculated whether their anger resulted from the nature of her own truck.
"I think it was because of my truck being an EV," she wrote. "Scared me to death."
Unfortunately, this event is not an isolated one. Other EV drivers have experienced harassment, from vandalized cars to charging stations. One study found that nearly 50% of Tesla owners have received intentional damage to their vehicles.
Anti-EV sentiments slow the transition from gas-powered cars to electric ones, which is an important step toward eliminating our reliance on gas, oil, and coal. These dirty energy sources account for over a third of planet-warming pollution, according to the United Nations.
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While EVs require resources — like lithium batteries — to manufacture, they have a smaller environmental impact than traditional cars long term. An MIT study determined that cars with internal combustion engines create about 350 grams of carbon pollution per mile driven, but EVs are responsible for 200.
Electricity-powered cars also pose fewer health risks, since they don't produce tailpipe pollution. They can save you money too, including up to $1,500 a year on gas and maintenance.
Other EV owners and Reddit users shared similar experiences to the OP's incident in the comments.
"We've gotten a few middle fingers," one wrote. "It's sad this happened to you and anyone else. I can only imagine the gestures they gave you and I bet it was unsettling and scary."
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"I get a ton of tailgating pickups, usually lifted suspension and diesel engines, often giving the bird. Lotta EV hate out there," another said.
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