Tesla’s problem with toxic fandom is starting to give the community a bad name, as some stories of attacks on other electric vehicles become mainstream.
The Detroit Free Press A Tesla owner with Mustang Mach-E reports threats on social media from Tesla fans.
It contains several reports from new Mustang Mach-E owners and reviewers who have received disturbing comments from Tesla fans about their review of the new electric vehicle:
“One was like, ‘I hope the car loses control and crashes.’ Or ‘The car will catch fire if you drive it,’ ‘he said. “I saw it as a threat. For you to have any kind of bad will on someone, why would you say that? Then someone sent me a private message: ‘You’re full of s *** and I know what your Tesla looks like. When I see it … “That private message on Facebook was more threatening.” ‘
Most of the comments come from the same well-known Tesla fans on Facebook and Twitter.
Some of the positive reviews of the Mach-E come from Tesla owners and fans who are disillusioned with the reaction of the community:
“Before I knew it, about 65% of the comments were just disgusting to me,” he said. Part of me wants to get rid of my Tesla for not having the association. A few here and there, OK. But people comment and say disgusting things. “Let your big oil buy you?” and “How much do people pay you?” If this is related to the fact that I’m a Tesla owner, why would I want to be part of the group? This is not cool. ”
In some of the most extreme cases, people received death threats for the positive comments on the Mustang Mach-E.
Electrek’s Take
Last year we had a controversial headline titled “Tesla superfandom becomes toxic, negative for electric revolution.”
It investigated the problem with the rise of a group of Tesla superfans who create a toxic environment by suppressing legal criticism of Tesla, attacking positive views on other electric vehicles and spreading misinformation if it turns Tesla into a positive light set.
Our article sought to highlight the problem within the community before it became too big and affected the reputation of the Tesla community.
But now the mainstream media is recording it. This is exactly what we tried to avoid.
To be honest, it looks like the Free press The article was driven by Mike Levine, North American communications manager at Ford, who himself had a belligerent attitude toward Tesla.
update: Levine says he had nothing to do with the article and that he was not just quoted for one of the Mach-E owners targeted by Tesla fans.
I think it’s worth mentioning, but that in no way excuses some of the comments that come from these Tesla superfans.
There is just no excuse for that.
I’m a big Tesla fan myself. I have shares in the company. I have three Tesla vehicles that I like, but I agree that Tesla is not perfect and that there is a lot of legal criticism against the carmaker and its vehicles.
I can also appreciate other electric vehicles that are part of Tesla’s mission to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.
I know where they come from. The media often spurred the idea that every new motorcycle manufacturer of old-fashioned car manufacturers was ‘Tesla killers’.
This has created a hostile perspective from other EVs, but we know that this perspective is false and that it was just created by the media.
Two injustices do not make amends, and the Tesla community must drown out the comments of those toxic superfans with encouraging comments for car manufacturers who take the electrical transition seriously, and for the people who go with those vehicles electrically.
It’s reasonable to compare EVs to each other, but I beg Tesla fans not to go on the defensive if someone compares another EV to a Tesla vehicle favorably.
Rather be glad that they actually like an electric vehicle. Either way, Tesla will be fine.
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