Tesla owners may be swapping out vehicle logos due to vandalism fears linked to Elon Musk

[firehyrant]

Tesla owners may be swapping out vehicle logos due to vandalism fears linked to Elon Musk​

By
David McCowen, News.com.au

Published Feb. 25, 2025, 7:57 a.m. ET

Tesla owners are disguising their cars as other vehicles in what may be an attempt to avoid vandalism linked to outspoken founder Elon Musk.

Images posted on Reddit show a Tesla Cybertruck with “Toyota” stencilled across its tailgate and a Tesla Model S with a series of Mazda logos on its rear end.

Other examples include Tesla Model 3 vehicles with Honda badges, and another Model 3 with Audi’s four rings on the boot.

Reddit users hypothesized that owners could be distancing themselves from Elon Musk following his closer ties to far-right wing political groups and role in the Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.

Tesla owners are disguising their cars as other vehicles in what may be an attempt to avoid vandalism linked to its outspoken founder. Christopher Sadowski
“Someone’s afraid of getting vandalised,” one Reddit user said.

“Imagine being so ashamed of driving a Tesla, you just have to do a brand change?” Said another.

Assuming that the vehicle owners were “embarrassed” to be linked to the brand, others said that “in London I have seen at least two Teslas with their badges removed, I’m not sure if its kids or the owners just don’t want to risk a random brick thrown at the car”.

Reddit users hypothesized that owners could be distancing themselves from Musk following his closer ties to far-right wing political groups Whooshn/YouTubeSome assume that the vehicle owners were “embarrassed” to be linked to the brand. Whooshn/YouTube
Tesla has been a target for graffiti this year following a gesture by Elon Musk interpreted by some people as a Nazi salute.

European protesters projected images of Adolf Hitler onto Tesla’s Berlin factory in protest of Musk’s political stance, and some owners overseas have returned to their cars to find slogans and logos spray painted onto their cars.


But Tesla owners have changed the badges on their cars for years, possibly as some form of in-joke to other drivers.

Tesla has been a target for graffiti this year following a gesture by Musk interpreted by some people as a Nazi salute. Getty Images
The latest batch of Tesla vandalism follows a protracted run of incidents involving Tesla cars being keyed by other motorists.

Many of the culprits were busted on camera by Tesla’s “Sentry” security system.

 

[firehyrant]

 

[firehyrant]

 

[eatshitndie]

see spray paint and graffiti on cyber trucks. they are such ugly vehicles other motorists buay tahan the eyesore.

 

[glockman]

didn't see your thread, hence I started another.

 

[glockman]

Electric Honda Civic. Nice!

 

[firehyrant]

didn't see your thread, hence I started another.

doesn't matter. everyone can do what they want here lah... it's just a pass time place to relax my brain and enjoy morning sanity before I start rushing for the damn mrt to go to work later...

 

[glockman]

doesn't matter. everyone can do what they want here lah... it's just a pass time place to relax my brain and enjoy morning sanity before I start rushing for the damn mrt to go to work later...

Take emergency leave today lah. We go massage, sauna, makan and chill the whole day. TGIF, I don't feel like working today.

 

[firehyrant]

Take emergency leave today lah. We go massage, sauna, makan and chill the whole day. TGIF, I don't feel like working today.

you want me to lose my job

 

[eatshitndie]

Take emergency leave today lah. We go massage, sauna, makan and chill the whole day. TGIF, I don't feel like working today.

still working at your age?

 

[glockman]

still working at your age?

Yes, life is tough. Need to work until I drop dead.

 

[laksaboy]

Too many liberal lunatics.

 

[firehyrant]

Yes, life is tough. Need to work until I drop dead.

in singapore, if dont work will end up eating grass and sleep on hdb void deck hor...very pitiful life

 

[glockman]

in singapore, if dont work will end up eating grass and sleep on hdb void deck hor...very pitiful life

Ya lor, must always work. Also those CDC vouchers are a life saver, I can afford to buy salad dressing to go with the grass. Also bought an inflatable pillow which makes sleeping at the void deck more comfortable.

 

[firehyrant]

Ya lor, must always work. Also those CDC vouchers are a life saver, I can afford to buy salad dressing to go with the grass. Also bought an inflatable pillow which makes sleeping at the void deck more comfortable.

Some provision shop in HDB heartland can use CDC to buy cigarettes and alcohol...so you can use them there...

 

[glockman]

Some provision shop in HDB heartland can use CDC to buy cigarettes and alcohol...so you can use them there...

Really?!! That's wonderful news, thank you.

 

[firehyrant]

Really?!! That's wonderful news, thank you.

Otherwise how do grandpa you spend $800 + $800 CDC voucher. You can't be possibly using $1600 on vegetables right?

 

[glockman]

Otherwise how do grandpa you spend $800 + $800 CDC voucher. You can't be possibly using $1600 on vegetables right?

Health spa can use or not? Need to look after my health.