Tesla owners are altering the appearance of their electric vehicles to distance themselves from the behavior and politics of owner Elon Musk.
Those tactics reportedly include replacing Tesla logos with ornaments from the makes of other vehicles and placing stickers begging for forgiveness for having bought the cars before Musk began feverishly endorsing far-right messaging and conspiracy theories.
One social media account posted several photos of Teslas that appear to have been altered to look like Audis, Mazdas or Hondas.
The EV website Elektrek, which reported on the trend this week, said one business in particular was selling hundreds of stickers daily, with sayings such as, “Anti-Elon Tesla Club” and “I bought this car before Elon went crazy.”
Musk’s recent controversial behavior includes addressing an inauguration audience with a gesture many interpreted to be a Nazi salute. Days later, he appeared via video at a far-right wing German rally, telling supporters not to be ashamed of their nation’s genocidal past. Earlier this month, he gleefully waved a chainsaw during a Christian nationalist convention in Maryland while talking up President Trump’s recent cuts to the government.
Some Tesla owners reportedly worry their vehicles will be vandalized by those who have an ax to grind with Musk as he works to slash services as part of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Videos posted online seems to show a Tesla Cybertruck with messages scrolling across its tailgate asking potential vandals to refrain from doing harm.
“This truck already makes me look stupid enough,” reads one of those messages.
Protesters have gathered outside Tesla stores in the U.S. and Europe to spite the 53-year-old South African native, who’s worth topped $460 billion shortly after he spent nearly $300 million to help put Trump back into power. As of Tuesday, Forbes put his net worth at $347.7 billion as a result of weakened Tesla stock value.
