A British electric vehicle owner turned to Reddit to share their frustration after discovering their car had been broken into and had its cable chargers stolen.
"I've had my rear window smashed open and my chargers stolen," the poster lamented. The comments naturally expressed sympathy for the unfortunate Redditor.
One commented: "I am sorry this happened to you. I'd be furious, especially knowing that the insurance company would penalise the car owner due to the claim."
"Disgusting. Hope they get caught," added another.
The thread generally believed it was a crime of opportunity. Chargers can be sold for around £120 ($155), though one suggested an ideological motive because the car was made by Tesla: "If it's intentional it will be because of Elon [Musk], not because it's electric. He's made it so toxic and the owners are ultimately paying the price."
Musk has received significant backlash as he has become more involved politics, sharing his thoughts on European matters and becoming an adviser in the United States government.
Stateside, critics have said his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has abruptly slashed federal staff without taking the time to properly understand what they do. For instance, as Fortune reports, the Energy Department had to scramble to rehire highly trained nuclear specialists with high-level security clearances after they were terminated.
Multiple lawsuits also allege he "has been exercising an unconstitutional degree of power for a government official who has not been confirmed by the Senate," per Politico.
More broadly, the furor over his particular EV brand overshadows an important aspect of the discussion.
The widespread adoption of EVs is hindered by theft and vandalism. This is especially unfortunate because there are considerable advantages, both environmental and financial, to making the switch to an EV. Though the manufacturing process involves slightly more emissions because of the materials mined to make the battery, an EV will emit far less planet-warming pollution over its lifetime than a gas-powered car.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Similarly, the purchase price of an EV might be slightly higher (depending on where you live, incentives can bring that down), but they're much cheaper to own and run in the long run. Regardless of motive, targeting someone's personal property has the same outcome.
As one commenter pointed out: "Some will hate EVs, some will hate Elon. Whatever [the motive] it is the same: vandalism and lack of respect."
|
Do you worry about the longevity of EV batteries? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
For sure 💯 
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.
Cool Picks
