American motoring journalist Victoria Scott is now urging Tesla owners to sell their cars – for both financial and moral reasons. According to her, owning a car from Elon Musk's company is no longer sensible or sustainable.
Tesla has been a technological frontrunner in the electric car industry for over a decade. But now used car prices are falling dramatically, and according to Victoria Scott, the company is in the midst of a crisis that could get worse.
“If you've been waiting for a sign, it's now. Sell your Tesla,” she writes in a lengthy post for the media outlet InsideEVs.
Scott points out that Teslas are currently losing value faster than any other car brand. This is due, among other things, to deep discounts on new cars and a large turnover of used cars from leasing companies like Hertz .
At the same time, insurance prices are rising sharply – and Tesla owners risk that companies will not cover their cars at all in the future if things go completely wrong, she says.
She refers, among other things, to the fact that cars and chargers have been vandalized in several places in the US. Tesla models are being spray-painted, have their windows smashed, or in the worst case, set on fire – simply because Elon Musk has become so politically controversial.
This not only affects the company's image, but also insurance premiums and resale value.
As we have previously described on Boosted.dk , Danish drivers have also experienced large increases in their car insurance – some as much as 80 percent – and electric cars, especially Tesla, are often blamed.
In the US, a Model 3 has now increased 30 percent in insurance in just one year and costs over DKK 30,000 per year to insure.
Other electric cars have gotten better
Victoria Scott also argues that Tesla's technological leadership is fading. While competitors such as Kia, Hyundai, Audi and Volvo offer faster charging and more modern technology, Tesla has stuck to older architecture.
For example, all Tesla models – except for the Cybertruck – still only have a 400-volt system, while competitors now use 800 volts. This means longer charging times and higher heat generation, which can reduce battery life.
At the same time, safety has been criticized. Tesla's Autopilot and "Full Self-Driving" have been investigated in connection with several accidents, and although the cars perform well in crash tests, according to data, they are involved in more fatal accidents than average.
“You can make a difference by selling”
For Victoria Scott, however, the decision is not just about money and technology – but also about morality. She believes that Elon Musk has used his wealth, including Tesla, as a platform to support right-wing politics in the United States. This is causing many previously loyal customers to distance themselves.
She points out that Musk has become so closely tied to the brand that selling off his cars could actually directly affect his financial power. “Tesla’s success is deeply tied to Elon Musk’s personal wealth,” she writes.
Several automakers are now actively trying to lure Tesla owners to their brands with financial incentives. Polestar, for example, is offering a 20,000 kroner trade-in discount, while Lucid is giving an extra 4,000 kroner to new customers in the US.
“If you really want to do something – both for your own economy and for society – then sell your Tesla. It’s the most tangible step you can take,” says Victoria Scott.
