The protests against Elon Musk and especially his electric car company, Tesla, are having a knockdown effect on the owners of the cars in question.
Over the past few weeks several cars bearing the well-known “T” logo have been targeted by people unhappy with President Trump’s staunch supporter and leader of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who in an attempt to reduce spending at federal agencies, has been wielding a hatchet to cull the number of employees.
Some Tesla owners, in order to prevent their cars from being vandalized out of spite, have decided to replace the logos of their cars with those of other automakers, such as Audi, Chevrolet, Subaru or Mazda.
A number of video tutorials have also appeared on YouTube showing any interested parties how to “rename” their electric cars.
Even the owners of the Tesla Cybertruck, a mammoth and unmistakable vehicle, have attempted to rebrand their cars, using steel panels. However, given the size of the vehicle in question, it seems virtually impossible for them to truly camouflage these authentic 4-wheeled tanks.
Photos have circulated online of Cybertrucks with “TOYOTA” printed on the tailgate, or with ’ RIVIAN ” on the back, an electric vehicle company that competes directly with Tesla and produces a popular pickup truck.
Cybertrucks have often been the focus of protests by opponents of Musk and the Trump administration. In New York City this week, some protesters posted street signs urging dog owners to throw their pets’ feces on the nearest trucks.
In other cases, however, anti-Elon protests have led to far harsher consequences. Some Teslas were damaged or even set on fire. Others, however, have been daubed with paint, with swastikas recalling the Nazi salute Musk made in January, and with the words “F*ck Elon.”
