From the Model 3 to the unmistakable Cybertruck, Tesla is determined to change the game in the electric vehicle market. Unfortunately, some are not as excited about the electrification transition.
One disappointed Redditor in the r/TeslaLounge subreddit posted photos of cables that have been cut at a Tesla charging station in Texas, highlighting a growing concern across the United States.Â
The post includes two photos. The first centers on the cables cut off from the Tesla charging station, and the second shows a side view of other charging cables removed in the parking area.
"Thankfully they spared one… I showed up with 1%," the original poster shared in the post caption.Â
Tesla has been relentless when it comes to dominating the U.S. electric vehicle market. According to new data, Tesla outsold all significant EV rivals combined in the first half of 2023, with 325,291 models sold. This dominance is reflected in the popularity of Tesla models such as the Model Y, which topped the charts with around 200,000 units sold.Â
This is great news for the adoption of cleaner EVs, as more people are choosing vehicles that produce zero tailpipe pollution over those powered by dirty fuels.Â
There has been an uptick in EV popularity across the country. Over 130,000 EV charging stations are publicly available as of the end of 2023, and they're predicted to reach a market value of $100 billion by 2040. Despite the surge in EV adoption, some have been reluctant.
Other instances of vandalism have occurred at EV charging stations, which slows down the replacing of dirty energy fuels with clean sources such as solar and wind.
Critics of EV adoption have argued that pollution is still created during the battery manufacturing and charging process and that elements collected for battery production impact the environment.
According to a study by researchers at Argonne National Laboratory, while pollution from EV manufacturing and end-of-life are higher, total pollution released for EVs is still lower than that of gas-powered cars. An average EV produced in the U.S. last year will close the gap in about 2.2 years, per an analysis by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.Â
Despite these concerns, EV adoption still benefits air quality for communities and is cost effective.Â
"Wow. That's just awful," wrote one Redditor about the vandalized station.Â
"Need more cameras," commented another.Â
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