Tesla owners hide logos to distance from Elon Musk amid vandalism fears

Images circulating on Reddit show a Tesla Cybertruck labeled "Toyota" and a Model S with a Mazda badge.

Other examples include Model 3s featuring Honda and Audi emblems.

One Cybertruck even projects messages on its tailgate, urging people not to deface the vehicle, including: "This truck already makes me look stupid enough."

Electrek previously reported a surge in sales of stickers with phrases like "I bought this car before I knew Elon was crazy."

A vendor selling such decals claimed to be shipping hundreds daily as Tesla owners seek to dissociate from Musk.

A Tesla Cybertruck at a showroom. Photo from X

The trend follows speculation that some owners are distancing themselves due to Musk’s ties with far-right political groups and his role in U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, according to Merca20.

"Someone is afraid of being vandalized," one Reddit user commented. Another wrote: "Imagine being so embarrassed to drive a Tesla that you have to rebrand it?"

One user claimed to have seen at least two Teslas in London without badges, adding: "I’m not sure if their kids removed them or if the owners just don’t want to risk getting a random brick thrown at them."

In 2024, global EV sales hit 14 million units, with Tesla contributing 1.8 million and securing nearly 13% market share, according to the International Electric Vehicle Association.

The company generated over US$96.7 billion in revenue in 2023, per Statista. A memory test survey by American Trucks found Tesla’s "T" logo more memorable than Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus. It ranked as the third-best car logo after Audi and BMW, per Teslarati.

Musk, CEO of Tesla and founder of SpaceX, is the world’s richest man, with a net worth of $354.8 billion as of Mar. 4 according to Forbes.