The carbon footprint of a burning Tesla

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🗞️ Driving the news: A wave of vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles and charging stations has drawn attention for its environmental and political ironies
• Critics of Elon Musk and Donald Trump, many of them self-identifying progressives, are damaging electric vehicles — often owned by fellow left-leaning consumers — as an act of protest
• The acts not only undermine the climate cause but result in higher carbon emissions through destruction

🔭 The context: Tesla vehicles have long symbolised environmental consciousness and liberal values, further encouraged by federal subsidies of up to $8,000 under Obama and Biden
• However, Musk’s political realignment and close ties to conservative figures have alienated some of Tesla’s progressive customer base
• In response, some Tesla owners now use bumper stickers to disassociate from Musk’s politics while trying to avoid vandalism

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Burning or damaging electric vehicles defeats their environmental purpose, releasing carbon dioxide and toxic pollutants
• Such actions run counter to climate activism and draw attention to the potential unintended consequences of protest tactics
• If the trend grows, it could also discourage EV adoption and delay decarbonisation efforts

⏭️ What's next: Authorities are expected to pursue legal consequences for vandalism, and the backlash may push for clearer separation between products and political personas
• Tesla may face reputational challenges across different political demographics
• Meanwhile, wider public discourse is likely to focus on protest ethics and the climate cost of destructive activism

💬 One quote: “A further irony is that incinerating a row of Teslas... pumps more carbon dioxide... than the vehicles would save if allowed to live out their working lives unmolested.” – Hugo Gurdon, Washington Examiner

📈 One stat: A federal EV subsidy of $8,000 has supported Tesla purchases under both the Obama and Biden administrations

See here detailed sustainability performance of companies like Tesla and Rivian

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