Owning a Tesla is becoming a stressful proposition. In a new study, over 40% of Tesla owners report that their car has been vandalized, and a third are considering getting rid of the vehicle within the next year.
The study comes from Guardian Service, a company that helps consumers find insurance plans. The company says it surveyed 508 Tesla owners “to explore how vandalism, insurance hikes, and targeted hostility are reshaping the EV [electric vehicle] ownership experience in America.” Researchers collected the data this month, so the results should reflect recent political controversies surrounding Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
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The damage cost an average of $1,900 to repair.
Risk Highest in the South
“The risk isn’t equal across the country,” the researchers write. “Tesla owners in the South were the most likely to report vandalism, with 46% saying their vehicle was intentionally damaged. That’s more than double the rate of those in the Midwest (11%) and significantly higher than the West (21%), or Northeast (22%).”
The youngest drivers reported the most vandalism – 61% of Generation Z Tesla owners reported damage.
Forty-three percent said they’d seen “rude gestures or negative comments from strangers while behind the wheel.” Sixty percent said they drive less or avoid certain areas out of fear.
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Just 1 in 5 Regrets Purchase
Despite the trends, just 19% regret buying a Tesla. Yet 30% say they wouldn’t buy another — a significant change for a company that has long enjoyed the highest customer retention rate in the auto industry.
Related: Tesla Insurance Costs Rising Fast
Vandalism concerns may be driving insurance costs higher, Guardian says. Fully 61% report that their insurance premiums have gone up this year, with the average increase equaling $340 per year.
Insurance costs for Tesla vehicles, however, were higher than for most other EVs before widespread protests began at company facilities. Tesla uses a large battery integrated into the car’s structure, so even minor damage often requires complete battery replacement. Many other EV builders use modular batteries that can be repaired without being replaced.