New York CNN — As Elon Musk continues to take an outsized and controversial role in the US government,reports of harassment of Tesla owners and vandalism of showrooms and vehicles are on rise. That may, in part, be contributing to plunging resale values and interest in used Teslas in the United States. Though Tesla has enjoyed the attention of President Donald Trump, its stock price has erased all of its gains since Election Day. It reported its first-ever drop in global sales last year, and it faces stiff competition in China and slumping sales in Europe. In the United States, Musk, Tesla’s CEO, has faced blowback for his cost-cutting actions in the federal government. Despite the record low prices for a Tesla on the used market and a prominent advertisement by the president of the United States, the cars have been having a tough time finding buyers, according to a March survey from Cars.com. Searches for used Teslas decreased 16% over the past month, while demand for used non-Tesla electric vehicles has increased 28% over the past year. And it’s not just internet searches. CarGurus, a car-buying site, found that used Tesla prices are falling at more than double the rate of the average used car price. The Cybertruck, the controversial steel-sided pickup, fared the worst of any Tesla vehicle, with a resale value 58% less than its original price, according to CarGurus. Tesla owners who want to sell are also having a hard time finding buyers, much less ones that will buy for a decent price. Some Tesla owners say they have buyers’ remorse amid reports of vandalism and protests against Musk, as well as their personal feelings toward the CEO. “I would sell it in a heartbeat if somebody offered me a decent price, but the chances of that happening probably not the case,” Pam Perkins, who’s from Northern California, told CNN this month. Jennifer Trebb, from Ohio, traded in her Tesla Model Y a few weeks ago and took an $18,000 to $20,000 financial hit. “It did lose a vast amount of value in the short two years that I had it. It only had 10,000 miles on it,” she said. But Musk’s role in the government “doesn’t fall in line with my morals, my beliefs, and every time I looked at the car, that’s what I thought of.”
Anybody want a Cybertruck? You can get a great deal on one right now. https://futurism.com/tesla-refusing-cybertrucks-trade-ins Embattled carmaker Tesla is sitting on almost 2,400 unsold Cybertrucks, worth roughly $200 million. It's a harsh reality check. According to its latest — and eighth — recall issued last month, the carmaker has only sold around 46,000 of the divisive pickup trucks so far, despite a $7,500 tax credit. That's a far cry from the over 1 million pre-orders the company gloated over years ago. And those currently in possession of one are often struggling to get rid of them. As Electrek reports, Tesla is refusing to accept its own Cybertrucks as trade-ins, due to a massive backlog. That's bound to sting, as used Cybertruck prices have fallen off a cliff, down 55 percent year over year. Some owners are reportedly being forced to go through the Lemon Law process, which some states have implemented to protect car buyers by requiring carmakers to repurchase or replace vehicles with significant defects. The Cybertruck, which Musk has previously claimed should be able to float in water and eventually be capable of roaming the surface of Mars, has quickly turned into a massively expensive and issues-prone liability. And that's not to mention the sheer amount of hate being directed at it. As anti-Elon Musk sentiment continues to spike due to his embrace of far-right extremism and dismantling of federal agencies, the Cybertruck has become astonishingly unpopular. That negative sentiment has spawned an entire movement called, "Tesla Takedown," in which countless protesters have demonstrated — overwhelmingly peacefully — in front of showrooms across hundreds of cities. Tesla is in a tight spot, with sales tanking worldwide. Earlier this month, the company revealed a 13 percent drop in deliveries in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, a three-year low. Competition is quickly catching up with the EV maker as well, which could spell disaster going forward. Beyond its controversial design and poor choice of materials, the Cybertruck has failed to live up to Musk's lofty promises. The truck was initially advertised to start at a relatively affordable $40,000, have a range of over 500 miles for its top trim option, and feature bulletproof glass. Less than a year and a half into production, Tesla has failed to live up to any of those expectations. Even a previously announced, $16,000 range extender accessory — which would occupy half the truck's bed — has yet to materialize. As Electrek reported over the weekend, Tesla quietly removed the extender option, indicating it's given up on bringing the accessory to market, despite collecting a $2,000 non-refundable fee to reserve it. With president Donald Trump's disastrous tariff war throwing international supply lines into chaos, it remains to be seen how Tesla will weather the storm. With its brand in the gutter, the company has a lot of catching up to do — and encouraging anybody to take a major hit and spend $80,000 on a Cybertruck is bound to get more difficult as fears of a recession continue to mount.
"Unflippable" Cybertruck blasts through stop sign and flipped by Honda Odyssey, that car from Deadpool and Wolverine. https://www.flyingpenguin.com/?p=69343
Tommy Wiseau, director of "The Room" had a prophetic message about the fight against the alien car bots in 2017. What can I say, with a healing leg I have too much time on my hands.