It was meant to be the electric car that changed everything. Now, in some parts of the world, it’s being changed against its will—with spray paint and baseball bats. The recent attack on Tesla’s Hobart showroom, where vandals scrawled “Heil Tesla” and “Do you really want to drive a swasticar?” on its walls, is just the latest sign that Elon Musk’s brand is being pulled into political warfare. The vandalism spree isn’t limited to Australia. Across the world, Tesla vehicles are being targeted, and it’s not just the usual suspects keying cars out of jealousy. Musk’s political ties and controversial moves have turned his company into a lightning rod for outrage.
Australia is no exception. Since Trump’s election, Tesla’s new car sales in the country have plummeted 35% compared to the same period the year before. The backlash against Musk has seeped into showrooms, with reports of cars being defaced and dealerships becoming battlegrounds. Hobart’s attack wasn’t an isolated incident—it was a warning shot.
Political commentator Rukshan Fernando sees a pattern emerging. “It looks like Tesla terrorism is spreading outside of the United States. There are now activist groups, including climate activists, who are coordinating attacks against the brand. Australian Tesla owners should be on the lookout for suspicious behaviour, as our capital cities are full of unhinged left-wing lunatics.” The irony of climate activists attacking an electric vehicle company isn’t lost on some. Luke Sulz, a track and field coach, put it bluntly: “If you didn’t think it was all virtue signalling before, you must now. The Left have zero moral or intellectual credibility.”
Others see it as part of a wider political firestorm. “The Tesla madness has spread to Australia,” said Jack, an Aussie commentator. “There’s no doubt if the LNP wins the election and Jacinta Price takes a chainsaw to Labor’s wasteful woke spending, it’ll escalate rapidly. There are many unhinged leftist lunatics out there.” Not everyone frames it as a left vs right battle, though. Sushanth Nair believes Musk’s miscalculation was stepping into the political arena. “Elon Musk is naive to have ventured into politics. This was bound to happen as Trump’s politics is polarising. So this is not going to end well for anyone.”
As brand perception continues to spiral, Tesla’s used car market in Australia is heating up. The numbers paint a clear picture: Model 3 and Model Y became the first- and third-most-sold second-hand EVs in February, their highest combined ranking to date. The AutoGrab and Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) data shows Tesla’s share of the used EV market hitting a record 18%. Raw numbers show a 31% rise in second-hand Model 3 sales and a 27% jump for the Model Y, with 380 Teslas changing hands in February alone.
The reason for the spike is murky. Some may be offloading their cars in response to Musk’s politics, while others are cashing out before resale values drop further. Then there’s the possibility that Tesla’s used cars are simply in higher demand, meaning for every seller bailing out, there’s a willing buyer stepping in. The data so far only tracks sales, not listings, so it’s impossible to tell if there’s been an exodus of Tesla owners trying to dump their cars. The real story might lie in the prices, which remain a mystery.
What’s clear is that Tesla’s struggles are deepening. Between the brand damage, political upheaval, and Musk’s relentless habit of staying in the headlines, a car that was once a status symbol now carries baggage beyond its battery pack. Once upon a time, Tesla was just about sleek design and technological innovation. Now, it’s also about spray paint, vandalised showrooms, and second-hand listings rising faster than its share price is falling.
For some, it’s just another example of the world becoming more tribal. For others, it’s a sign that Tesla is no longer the company they once admired. Either way, there are a lot more used Teslas on the market than there were a few months ago. And if the trend continues, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
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