Buyer's remorse as the mud sticks to Tesla

The sticker was spotted at a set of lights in Noosa: "Bought before we all knew he was a jerk," it read.

On the rear window of a Tesla, it was part explanation, part apology, and a graphic illustration of how quickly a status symbol and automotive virtue signal can turn into a cringeworthy embarrassment.

In Redwood City, California the other day a vandal in a hoodie spray painted the word "Nazi" on a Tesla Cybertruck.

And last week the word "Heil" along with an image of Elon Musk performing his inflammatory inauguration day gesture was projected on the billionaire's gigafactory in Berlin.

Musk's recent antics - including his meddling in German politics - have not gone down well. But his Tesla brand had been fading well before his political intrusion. Sales of Tesla vehicles declined a whopping 41 per cent in Germany last year. In Australia, Tesla sales slumped by 17 per cent in 2024.

Last year, it was revealed Tesla made so many more cars than it sold, it had to rent space in shopping centres and around airports to accommodate the unsold vehicles. It was a stock surplus visible from space.

Of course, it's not just Musk's stiff-armed embrace of right-wing politics that's put his electric vehicles on the nose.

In Europe government subsidies have been wound back and European carmakers are finally catching up with their own ranges of EVs and hybrids, which don't look like Tupperware. And in Australia, the less expensive, tech-packed Chinese EVs offer bigger bang for buck.

Of course, we shouldn't judge a vehicle by the politics of its company's owner. If we did, we'd never have driven Fords because Henry was an avowed anti-Semite, applauded and awarded by the Third Reich. We'd never have driven Volkswagens either because they were the spawn of the same murderous regime. And we wouldn't get behind the wheel of anything made in China.

But the mud is sticking in Musk's case. Telling supporters of the far-right AfD party not to feel guilt about Germany's past was even more cack-handed than the raised right arm - a lesson in how to lose friends and alienate people.

How the billionaire's self-harm plays out in Canberra will be fascinating to watch. Not in the corridors of power but on the famously progressive capital's roads.

By far the most enthusiastic city when it comes to electric vehicles, Canberra is the nation's biggest fan of Tesla. There was a time when every fifth vehicle seemed to be a Tesla.

Now that love affair is under strain. The car itself is partly to blame. Like the iPhone, it seems to have stalled when it comes to new features or an updated look. Other less expensive and better looking brands have entered the market. Tesla dropped its prices to compete, a move that only angered people who'd already bought and consequently lost thousands in resale value.

And then there's the company's owner.

When you feel compelled to put a sticker on your car apologising for your purchase, when the conveyance that signalled your environmental virtue becomes emblematic of right-wing nutbaggery, you're unlikely to replace it with the same brand.

HAVE YOUR SAY: Would you buy a Tesla after seeing Elon Musk's antics? If you already own one, has it become an embarrassment? Are you considering swapping it for another brand? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

- South Australia is cracking down on "imported hatred" and will continue to use new anti-extremism laws, after a protest on Australia Day led to a man being charged with using a Nazi symbol.

- Labor is still on track to form government at the next election, the prime minister says, despite more voters expecting the coalition will win. The latest Newspoll revealed 53 per cent of voters thought the opposition would win at the election, in its own right or as a minority, compared to 47 per cent for Labor.

- Parents of school-aged children are inundated with thousands of WhatsApp messages on average each year. Research by Goldee, an AI personal assistant app, found the average parent of one school-aged child (5-14 years of age) received 1457 WhatsApp messages in a single class or year group chat.

THEY SAID IT: "Great companies that build an enduring brand have an emotional relationship with customers that has no barrier. And that emotional relationship is on the most important characteristic, which is trust." - Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks

YOU SAID IT: John's celebration of Australia doesn't need a special day or flags. A simple walk in the bush, especially after rain, will do it.

"Thanks, John, for your magical words taking us for a walk in the beautiful Australian bush," writes Louise. "There's no place like it. Could nearly smell the gums and see the birds."

Chris writes: "Totally agree with John walking in the bush to celebrate Australia (day/year round). I have said this for many years! The only thing that tops it off for me is an invigorating swim in the ocean after the walk! And, of course, it's even better shared with good mates and family."

"Time in the bush can be rejuvenating, but too often I see the result of invasions," writes Maggie. "I used to see dunnarts, the lovely little fat-tailed marsupial mice, and ground-nesting pratincoles, but they are gone since feral cats moved into this district. And that's an example of what's happening continent-wide. Australian species were in balance, and the little marsupials and ground-nesting birds were able to cope with quolls and dingoes. But throw in the cats (and foxes), and all the vulnerable species are in peril. As I pick my way along a bush track past African boxthorn and tiger pear cactus, I see the Australian bush in transition. It can be depressing."

Joan writes: "Your walks in the bush are idyllic, John, and you describe it beautifully. You've got the best of both worlds, it seems, because I can sit on the sand (or these days a chair) and watch the ocean for hours. A walk along the sand, letting waves wash over my feet. The wind in my hair, the salty smell on my face. The changing face of waves is fascinating. From soft gentle ripples that literally roll towards the beach with a regularity that could be the beat for a song, to pounding breakers that race each other up the sloping beach, only to turn back and slow the progress of the next. Those small waves that start to break close to shore and look like a zipper being done up, or undone, as they ripple along their whole length. The absolute majesty of it all and how cleverly it serves its purpose it awe-inspiring."

"A great story by John Hanscombe about the values of our Australian bush, particularly after rain," writes Kevin. "As a child I'd explore the beautiful Dial Ranges here in north-west Tasmania. At 68, I still do. Your technical description of why the bush exhales a nourishing aroma was enlightening. Research into Tasmania's geological history gives rise to overused terms such as 'always was, always will be' and the word 'ancient' when referring to both man's and vegetation's time on the planet. An even greater understanding of how we arrived here puts these things into a new perspective. Man is fortunate to enjoy this very brief and finite period in the evolution of our 4.4 billion-year-old planet."

Julie writes: "Your article was brilliant. Your description of Australian bush after the rain filled me with nostalgia as well as familiarity. Thank you John."

"Your description of the Australian bush brought back warm memories and quite a bit of nostalgia," writes Dominique from Louisiana. "My husband and I have been to Australia multiple time for research and fieldwork and love the country and our Australian friends. One reason for me to be an avid reader of The Echidna ... Keep going, and all the best."