A Tesla owner took to Reddit to express their frustration with the growing disdain for the car company.
The Reddit user shared their thoughts on r/TeslaCanada. They said that various strangers had approached them to reprimand them about their car. The driver questioned whether all car owners should be held responsible for the actions of a manufacturer.
"Last week a person approached me while I was sitting in the car and asked me if I was embarrassed driving a Tesla," the poster wrote. "Two days back I found out someone threw something sticky on the trunk and the glass. I want to respectfully ask all the new found Tesla haters that why is this hatred and questions hurled towards the Tesla car owners only?"
Tesla had a difficult year due to safety concerns around its supervised Full Self-Driving feature, as well as CEO Elon Musk's polarizing political involvement. One estimate found Musk's actions may have cost Tesla up to 1.26 million sales between October 2022 and April 2025. Tesla sales in Canada dropped dramatically after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on many Canadian goods, according to Gizmodo. Canada responded with counter tariffs, including a 25% surtax on U.S.-imported cars in April.
As a leader in electric vehicles, Tesla is one of the more recognizable options for those looking to make the switch. However, recent headlines about the company and Musk may dissuade people from getting an EV. As the Reddit poster suggested, Tesla owners have been feeling the heat secondhand, which may be a turnoff for potential buyers.
Drivers then miss out on major savings because EVs don't have the same gas and maintenance costs as traditional vehicles. Plus, they don't release the same amount of dirty pollution that contributes to rising global temperatures. While it takes significant energy to mine for battery materials, the carbon pollution that EVs create is still far less than that of an internal combustion engine.
Luckily, if the Tesla brand doesn't appeal to you, there are more options than ever for those interested in going electric. Many manufacturers have been making their prices more competitive in recent years.
Reddit users shared their sympathy for the poster. They also suggested some measures they could take to avoid further confrontations.
"Its extremely petty, and totally unhinged," one person wrote. "These people cannot separate things subjects from each other."
"For now, I suggest getting some stickers saying you don't support Elon and put them on your windows," another said. "I see them on Amazon for $4 each. Might save harassment and vandalism."
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