Some Alberta Tesla owners said they are increasingly concerned getting behind the wheel.
They said backlash from Elon Musk and his connections to Donald Trump have encouraged escalating incidents of vandalism, including two arson investigations in Calgary.
Some local drivers say they feel unfairly targeted.
“I know what my personal beliefs are,” said Tesla owner Justin Frick, “and they are not represented by the car I drive”
Frick’s Tesla comes with cameras to monitor suspicious activity when it’s parked.
So far, nothing has happened.
But as Tesla CEO Elon Musk continues a controversial closeness with U.S. President Donald Trump, he worries that might change.
“The Tesla car, the Tesla company is now tied to those ideologies,” said Frick. “Right? So it’s just something it can’t get away from, unfortunately.”
In Calgary, police believe two Tesla vehicles were intentionally set on fire earlier this week.
One was torched on Tuesday at a Victoria Park charging station, while the other was at a storage facility near the Tesla Sales Centre in Fairview on Wednesday when it was hit.
“I think a lot of Tesla owners are I think a lot of people in our club are being extra cautious,” said Angie Dean, president of the Tesla Owners Club of Alberta.
“You know, when you park your car, you’re never quite sure if somebody is going to try and do something or if someone’s going to be aggressive on the road just because of the car that you’re driving.”
The attacks on Teslas appear to be part of a growing backlash across the U.S. and Canada.
More than 80 vehicles were slashed and scratched at a Hamilton dealership. Two activists were arrested for spray painting a dealership in Montreal. And the recent Vancouver Auto Show pulled Tesla for safety concerns.
For local drivers, the EV no longer feels like such a smooth ride.
“(It’s) something we might think about in the near future,” said Tesla owner Susan Mills. “If it turns scary --but I don’t know -- I love my Tesla.”
“A lot of the time I will be sitting in the car charging and I will have my kids with me,” said Tesla owner Leanne Jenner. ”So I don’t want any aggression towards me because we are driving Tesla’s.”
CTV News reached out to Tesla for comment but did not get a reply.
Calgary police suggest putting your vehicle in sentry mode. It only works on specific newer model Teslas, but it’s a setting that activates cameras – so that’s at least one way to monitor for anything suspicious.
