Distraught EV owner shares photo after shocking act in airport parking garage: 'I really don't get it'

An electric vehicle owner took to Reddit to share their frustration over vandalism that occurred to their car during a vacation.

The stunned driver posted a photo on the r/Rivian subreddit of their Rivian R1T electric truck, which had a noticeable scratch. They said they had parked in the Portland International Airport garage in an end space with plenty of room between their car and the one next to it.

But after three days of travel, the driver came back to find that a rear door had been keyed.

"Someone had to go to a lot of effort to be purposefully damaging," the original poster wrote. "I really don't get it."

Electric vehicles have become more common on roads around the world. In 2020, fewer than 3.5 million EVs were sold globally, according to the International Energy Agency. This year, that number is expected to surpass 20 million.

But with that growth has come an increase in EV vandalism, which could deter people from switching from dirty fuel-burning, gas-powered cars. In one particularly brazen act, cameras caught a security guard urinating on a Tesla Model Y.

EV charging stations have also become popular targets for vandalism, as thieves sever the charging cables in an attempt to steal the copper within.

Some critics claim that EVs aren't any better for the environment than gas-powered vehicles (spoiler alert — they are). They often point to mining for EV battery materials and the pollution it causes, which, in reality, is a fraction of what's generated by digging for fossil fuels.

Some commenters were quick to blame fossil fuel supporters for much of the vitriol directed at EVs and their drivers.

"Oil and gas people hate electric cars," one wrote. "They see them as the enemy, threatening their livelihood."

Would you buy an EV if it only took you five minutes to charge? Sign me up 👍 Depends on the cost 💰 No way 👎 I already have one 🔋 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

One commenter, who said they have driven EVs for a decade, said many people have been upset with them because of their car choice. But most of the time, they added, it seems to come from a place of misunderstanding.

"It's always from people who are scared of EVs being mandated and eventually reducing their quality of life," the commenter wrote. "A lot is just resistance to any change — even for the better."

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