Between broken windows, keyed sides, and theft, electric vehicles have been the target of increased vandalism recently. A Tesla was vandalized at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, and the vehicle’s owner shared photos of the incident on Reddit.
The photos depict the wheels stolen from the EV and the cameras spray-painted over. The Tesla owner parked their car at the airport and was shocked to find it in its altered state upon their return from their travels.
“I get it can happen anywhere, but terminal parking at DFW? Cannot believe it,” they wrote.
While the number of EVs on the road is increasing, vandalism and anti-EV sentiments slow the transition from gas cars to electric cars. Misconceptions about EVs may fuel these sentiments, despite electric cars being more energy efficient and therefore cheaper to drive than gas cars, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
EVs are more resource-intensive during manufacturing but overcome their initial impact, using fewer resources over their lifetime than gas-fueled vehicles, the EPA explained. EVs also outperform gas-fueled vehicles in terms of pollution, the EPA argued, producing less pollution and requiring less dirty energy.
Traditional cars use more dirty energy because they run directly on gasoline, even though electric cars charge using electricity often produced by burning dirty energy sources such as coal and natural gas. Charging EVs with electricity generated by renewable sources such as solar reduces their air pollution further, the EPA noted.
Home solar allows EV owners to charge their vehicles with clean energy at home, reducing both emissions and costs. Installing solar can save homeowners up to $1,500 a year on energy costs, and EnergySage provides quotes to help with installation.
EVs can also save money, costing less than traditional cars over their lifetime, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Tax credits up to $7,500 may also be available to those who purchase an EV, per the IRS. Despite these cost-saving benefits, EVs like this Reddit user’s Tesla remain the source of misconceptions.
“Be careful parking your vehicle at DFW Airport,” the Tesla owner warned.
“Sorry to hear that this happened to you. But, thank you for posting. This is sobering,” another Reddit user commented.
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