Sydney (Reuters) – When Australian Dick Friend bought Tesla in 2015, he was so impressed by his environmental credentials and his performance that he and his wife bought two more electric vehicles, as well as shares of the company led by Elon Musk.
Now, however, and will not replace one of its cars, destroyed in an accident last year, citing objections to Musk’s right -wing trend and its growing role in Donald Trump’s government.
“The cars are bright, but we do not like the direction of the owner and we are voting with our feet,” said Friend, who divides his time between the houses in Hobart and Melbourne.
Tesla sales in the four months since Trump’s election fell 35% compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Australian electric vehicle council, with a wave of vandalism in Australia and New Zealand last week, which also increased the evidence of contagion of Musk role in Trump.
A Tesla spokesman did not immediately respond to a commentary request.
Tesla’s sales in the country were already falling shortly before Trump’s victory, with total sales by 2024 17% smaller than the previous year, in line with weaker sales worldwide.
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They also fell through Musk’s support to far-right parties in Europe, Reuters said last week.
Tesla cars and dealers in Australia and New Zealand were vandalized last week, echoing protests in the US.
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Trump said on Tuesday that violence against Tesla dealers would be labeled as domestic terrorism as he appeared with Musk in the White House to choose a new Tesla for his team to use.
In the Australian state of Tasmania, a Tesla dealership was vandalized last week, with graffiti calling Nazi Musk.
A Tasmania State Police spokesman said the force was aware of the incident and seeking more information.
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In a Facebook group for Tesla owners in Australia, several users said their cars had been vandalized in recent months.
“We have been our Tesla Model Y for 2.5 years and, in the last six months, we have experienced increasing hostility on the roads,” said one of them, adding that he planned to sell his car because he didn’t feel safer. “After talking to the police, the Teslas seems to be the target of attacks more often.”
In neighboring New Zealand, police said on Wednesday that a 52-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday night in connection with several Vandalized Teslas in Auckland.
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Tesla sales falls in New Zealand last year reflect those in the broader electric vehicle sector, according to data from the Industry of New Zealand motor after the removal of government subsidies.
