Tesla owners scramble to deal with backlash over the automobile brand — and CEO Elon Musk

In California, the bumper stickers have become almost as common as the once bestselling Teslas on which they appear.

“I bought this before Elon went crazy,” one reads in reference to Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO heading up President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency group.

“Bought used, no $ to Elon,” another states.

For a state where two Tesla EV models rose to become the bestselling cars in 2023, the turnaround has been stark. Registrations of new Teslas fell in 2024 by 12% from the previous year, according to industry data.

But the bumper stickers belie more than just a drop in sales. As Musk has carried out mass firings of federal employees across government agencies, a nationwide wave of Tesla vandalism, owner intimidation and protests at dealerships has followed.

Police in Portland, Ore., say seven shots were fired on March 6 at a Tesla dealership in an apparent act of political protest.

Six people were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest at a Manhattan Tesla showroom after 350 demonstrators gathered to protest the Trump administration.

On Tuesday, President Trump announced that he planned to label violence aimed at Tesla dealerships as an act of domestic terrorism.

Last month, protesters from a group calling itself Students Against Nazi Extremism left threatening notes on Teslas parked at Cal Poly Humboldt, a university in Arcata, Calif.

“NO NAZIS IN AMERICA,” the notes left on vehicles read. “TESLA OWNERS TRADE OR SELL BEFORE FEB 12 AFTER THAT IT IS OPEN SEASON.”

No suspects have yet been identified by Arcata police, but one of the local residents who received the note told Lost Coast Outpost that it was “ironic that this threat is directed at a community that overwhelmingly supports democratic ideals.”

“In lieu of violence may I suggest the perpetrators donate to progressive causes, write postcards to encourage voting, call their political representatives in Congress and support businesses engaged in fair practices. We are not the enemy and neither are our Teslas. In a final note of irony, I am of Jewish descent. Nazis indeed,” the owner added.

Parting ways

Several Tesla owners have even opted to sell their electric cars. Singer Cheryl Crow explained her rationale in an Instagram post.

"There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with," Crow wrote. "So long Tesla. Money donated to @npr, which is under threat by President Musk, in hopes that the truth will continue to find its way to those willing to know the truth."

On Tuesday, Trump posed at the White House alongside multiple Tesla models, including a Cybertruck, to announce he was buying one to help bolster Musk's brand.

“I’m going to buy because number one, it’s a great product. As good as it gets. Number two, because this man [Elon Musk] has devoted his energy and his life to doing this, and I think he has been treated unfairly,” Trump told reporters.

While that publicity helped Tesla's battered stock price make a modest recovery after losing 40% of its value in recent months, the company's image problem has gotten so bad that some owners have disguised their vehicles.

Those who do decide to sell their Tesla may also be in for a shock: The resale value of the luxury brand has collapsed, Business Insider reported. The average price of a used Tesla is now $10,000 less than competing EV brands, according to data from CarGurus.