New car owner dismayed after returning to senseless act in parking spot: 'The motive is mystifying'

A Rivian owner was left dismayed and turned to Reddit for advice after their new electric vehicle was vandalized.

In the opening post, they shared an image of the car's side with a prominent scratch and explained their situation, "Someone keyed my 3 month old R1S. I'm angry, but also unsure of next steps and hoping someone could help."

"The motive is mystifying," they said in a comment. "Truly a 0 gain situation."

The post prompted a mixture of sympathetic responses and a few helpful suggestions. The top-rated response was a simple show of empathy: "WTF? People suck, I'm sorry." Another added, "I would be so mad. The lowest deductible my insurance would give me was $5k so something like this is an automatic huge hit." 

A commenter offered some advice: "Insurance claim, then to detailer/body shop. They might be able to buff it out, depending on how deep the scratch is." 

The discussion highlights an important issue standing in the way of the more widespread adoption of EVs. Senseless vandalism against electric vehicles and charging infrastructure is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. It's not always clear why these attacks take place. It can be anti-EV sentiment, opportunistic theft, or specifically targeting certain brands. Regardless of the motive, the result is the same: hindering progress toward a more sustainable form of transportation. 

It's unfortunate that it keeps undecided consumers from making the switch, because electric vehicles offer such environmental and financial benefits. Over the course of their lifetimes, EVs cause far fewer planet-heating emissions than gas-powered cars. While there are some concerns with mining and manufacturing, they pale in comparison to the environmental devastation caused by oil and gas.

Additionally, electric vehicles are much cheaper to operate in the long run, with less maintenance required and no need for expensive gas; the savings amount to approximately $1,500 per year. 

The thread offered some hope that a low-cost fix was still possible. "Rivian sells [touch-up] pens. You could consider that depending on how long and deep the scratch is," one commenter said.

If you were going to purchase an EV, which of these factors would be most important to you? Cost 💰 Battery range 🔋 Power and speed 💪 The way it looks 😎 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.