In a Reddit post on r/TeslaCam, a user shared some footage of a stranger approaching their Tesla Model 3, captured in Los Gatos, California. Either the person didn't know Teslas had a camera feature or didn't care — because they keyed the side.
In what appears to be a parking garage, a person driving a Prius comes down a long corridor to the poster's Tesla. They pull up and get out of the car. With no expression except for a few cautionary glances to ensure the coast was clear, they pulled out keys from their pocket.
Then, they scribble some marks on the door. It seems they don't like Teslas.
The vandal calmly gets back into their car and backs out of the garage as if nothing happened. The original poster claimed the keying was for an "unknown reason," while commenters urged them to "file a police report." The OP followed up to say they did and that "vandal has been located and identified" and that they are "working directly with the police from this point."
They said the repair estimate was about $1,800, making the vandalism a felony.
Those transitioning to or wanting to switch to electric vehicles could find this discouraging. It creates a negative association with environmentally aware purchasing decisions, which may inhibit the adoption of these necessary technologies.
The vandalism of EVs and charging stations could make people more dedicated to fossil fuel-based cars. Already, 45% of Americans would be upset if the country stopped making gas-powered vehicles.
Vandalism of Teslas and charging stations must stop so anti-EV rhetoric can become less prevalent, such as talk of the damage EV batteries cause when they're becoming better every day.
Replacing fossil fuels with EV batteries will be a net positive for the planet; a Reuters report found that a Tesla Model 3, which happens to be the car that was keyed, need only be driven about 13,500 miles before it more than makes up for the pollution associated with its battery production when compared with a gas-powered Toyota Corolla that was rated at an above-average 33 mpg.
Commenters shared their insurance advice and gave more takes on the keyer's motivation in the comments.
🗣️ 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
"File a police report for the criminal act, then follow-up with a civil suit for financial restitution. You'll need an estimate of the repair. Bring this video evidence to court," someone advised.
"Dude drove the literal equivalent to the Tesla before EVs were a thing too. You can feel the regret in his Prius purchasing brain that he wish he had bought a Tesla," another added jokingly.
Someone else stated, "Why can't people just leave other people's property alone? You gotta have some issue if you're going out of your way to cause damage. I'm not a fan of Tesla but I wouldn't want to damage someone's car."
Hopefully, by the end of this, the keyer — and many other would-be petty criminals — will know next-generation vehicles are always watching.
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