Tesla Inc. TSLA is facing escalating brand challenges as vandals targeted a Supercharger station with Nazi symbols and hate speech, the latest in a series of incidents reflecting growing public hostility toward the electric vehicle maker.
What Happened: The vandalism, reported on Sunday by tech YouTuber Quinn Nelson, prompted Tesla’s charging division to announce immediate removal plans and pledge to pursue charges against perpetrators. “We will press charges for vandalism at Superchargers,” Tesla wrote.
This incident follows similar attacks, including vandalism at a Massachusetts charging station and a Cybertruck being damaged in Brooklyn.
The backlash comes amid controversy surrounding CEO Elon Musk‘s role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Donald Trump‘s administration, where his aggressive agency restructuring and federal worker terminations have drawn criticism from constitutional experts.
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Why It Matters: Notable Tesla investor Ross Gerber highlighted the brand damage, announcing plans to sell his Cybertruck after encountering anti-Musk graffiti. “The Tesla brand is broken,” Gerber posted on X.
The company faces mounting challenges across markets. Last week protesters gathered outside Tesla showrooms nationwide, with demonstrations in New York, Seattle, and California drawing up to 100 people. Singer Sheryl Crow publicly documented selling her Tesla Saturday, citing concerns about Musk’s political alignment.
Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives maintains a bullish $550 price target despite these challenges, arguing that brand concerns are “bark way worse than the bite.” However, Tesla reported its first annual sales decline in 2024, and German sales dropped 60% year-over-year in January following Musk’s support for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party.
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