City Tesla drivers feeling the heat

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/03/2025 (214 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Steve Garland and his wife love their Tesla, but they’ve considered removing the car’s brand logos and slapping on a bumper sticker in an attempt to ward off vandals.

It’s that anxiety, fuelled by growing anger towards Elon Musk, the electric-vehicle company’s owner and U.S. President Donald Trump’s crony, that has an increasing number of Tesla drivers worried about their safety.

“I thought it was a great five-year plan,” Garland said of his purchase in 2023, moving from a hybrid Toyota Prius to his fully electric Tesla Model Y.

“We will see how things progress. My No. 1 thing is safety. For the last few weeks, I’ve been driving the car exclusively because I’m worried about my wife. Ultimately, if things degrade to something similar to what we’re seeing in the States, we would have no choice but to sell our car. No car is worth jeopardizing our safety.”

In recent weeks, Tesla dealerships, charging stations and private vehicles have been targeted by demonstrators and vandals across North America and the world. Cars have been set on fire at dealerships in several U.S. cities.

On Wednesday, a Hamilton, Ont. dealership had upwards of 80 Teslas damaged in a vandalism spree. Earlier this week, Tesla was nixed from the Vancouver International Auto Show owing to safety concerns.

Winnipeg owners haven’t escaped the backlash.

John, a Model S owner, was eating at a Taco Bell in the city recently when he came out to find swastikas drawn in the dirt and grime covering his vehicle.

“It needed a car wash anyway,” he said.

John said he loves his car and has no plans to sell it, but some members of his family have divested their stock in Tesla, including his brother, with whom he was having lunch while his car was being marked up.

Others insist they have had nothing but positive experiences, despite the political turmoil.

A Cybertruck owner and member of the Manitoba Tesla Club, a Facebook group with more than 1,100 members, said he’s experienced only amusement and excitement when he’s out and about.

“I haven’t faced any negativity — no thumbs down, no middle fingers,” he said, asking not to have his name published because he doesn’t want to invite any hate.

“However, if you follow social media, the level of hate is overwhelming. Some now view owning this truck as a political statement.”

He said he placed his order for the Cybertruck in November 2019, when pre-orders of the polarizing vehicle opened.

He finally took delivery in November — five years later.

“While its design is polarizing, my decision to buy it had nothing to do with politics,” John said. “My views don’t align with Musk’s — I bought it to be more environmentally conscious and for the technology. It’s my first Tesla.”

He feels selling it off wouldn’t achieve anything, given Tesla already has his money.

The previously ultra-popular EV brand has, with Musk’s elevated role in Trump’s administration — including in the country’s new Department of Government Efficiency, which has slashed tens of thousands of federal government jobs — taken a beating both on the road and on the stock market.

Tesla’s stock has plummeted, down more than 50 per cent from its all-time high, as outrage has grown. Vehicle resale values have crashed along with it and new vehicle sales have dried up in many countries. On Thursday, the company issued a recall notice for more than 46,000 Cybertrucks due to an issue with steel trim pieces dislodging.

Trevor Nott, who owns Winnipeg’s Nott Autocorp, said values have dropped, especially among newer, higher-priced units.

“The $30,000 Tesla seems to be selling still, but down for sure 25 per cent in recent months,” he said. “The $40,000 Teslas — a Model 3, for example, is now close to $30,000.”

He’s seen some Cybertrucks — with the most expensive trim in the $180,000 range — go to auction for $100,000, and they’re not selling.

The high-end used car dealer said he’s stopped buying Tesla vehicles altogether and now only offers locally owned Teslas that are on consignment.

He has four or five in stock, but is focusing on selling other brands.

“We are fortunate,” Nott said. “We’re able to adapt to the changing industry and at the same time support our Canadians.”

North of the 49th parallel, Musk is viewed by many as synonymous with Trump’s economic bullying and annexation threats. In Thursday’s Manitoba budget, Finance Minister Adrien Sala announced that Teslas and Chinese-made electric vehicles would no longer be eligible for participation in the province’s EV rebate program.

“I know some owners have faced threats, received notes, or even had their vehicles vandalized,” John said. “To those who are upset at our purchase, I want to be clear: Musk’s actions don’t represent the average Canadian Tesla owner.”

Another truck owner in the Facebook group has had it worse.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t considering selling my Cybertruck,” they said, asking for their name not to be used because of their occupation.

They said they’ve had mostly positive experiences but have had rocks tossed at their vehicle, people getting out of their cars to threaten them at red lights and others flipping them off.

“I am a technologist that appreciates cutting-edge technology, safety, practicality of both a truck and a sports car, which is hard to deny, and a technologist that doesn’t care for the aesthetic of the car, nor do I care about the inane perception that owning a Tesla is politically motivated alignment with Elon Musk/Donald Trump,” they said.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Dan Lett | Not for Attribution

Tuesdays

A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world.

Sign up for Dan Lett | Not for Attribution

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

“The same way that I do not assume or anyone should assume that people driving Ford, Dodge or any other American-manufactured cars are supporting Donald Trump and their political and tariff-motivated economic policy.”

They said they’ve decided to keep the vehicle, not wanting to give into the “asinine actions” of select individuals they feel are the polar opposite of who Canadians are.

Some fast-acting capitalists are cashing in on the furor, producing and selling stickers reading “Vintage Tesla Pre-Madness Edition,” or “I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy” on popular shopping platforms such as Amazon and Etsy.

Garland hasn’t pulled the trigger on one yet, but said he’s thinking about it.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

Every piece of reporting Scott produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.