Might effect new buyers decisions I guess, but since about 99% of Tesla's were sold to green, left-leaning buyers, before the Elon hate-fest, I am not sure how targeting that group of people for your hatred is helping any "cause".

This article provides no causation between 'Tesla hate' and insurance costs. The only factual claim is that Tesla insurance premiums rose 30% in 2024, and cost to insure is 25% higher than a Mercedes A-class. But a quick internet search shows that 2022 MSRPs for those cars were $47k and $34k respectively, a 32% difference.

This has more to do with Tesla's being totaled in fend fender benders than the events of the last two months because the cost associated with replacing and fixing the cameras, electronics, and sensors. I've had two friends who had rear end accidents with their Teslas. One took over a year for his car to be returned in full working order after being rear ended at a stop sign. The other backed into a pole in a parking lot and they totaled out the car. All this cool stuff made these vehicles unrepairable from what are minor issues with less advanced vehicles.

Absolutely correct. But also there could be other reasons. The Mercedes cars offer SAE Level 3 certification ("you are officially not driving the car or watching the road, but we may demand you take over"), versus the much more dangerous Tesla Level 2 ("you are still responsible for driving and must constantly supervise but also the car will be doing it all for you, please don't stop paying attention at any point").

There have been, what, more than 50 self-driving fatalities in Teslas already? Of course the insurance premium would be higher.

> The Mercedes cars offer SAE Level 3 certification

In an S-class. The comment above compares it to a MB A-class.

Tesla produces no car in the MB S-class category.

> It’s a machine run on actuarial tables and its calculations are telling insurers that they’ll probably have to pay out a damage claim if they cover a Tesla EV.

How is something as recent as this already affecting interest rates? If this is true, then only negative short term trends can have such an effect. Otherwise I would expect rates to lower just as quickly when public ire moves onto the next outrage generator.

Should/would the government bail out Tesla were it to get into financial difficulties?

Isn't that why Tesla exist in the first place? Tax payer dollars.

My thought is that this is not going to last. Law enforcement is completely different from a year ago, when they "couldn't find" who was ransacking Apple retail stores. There are many lawful forms of expressing your views.

The insurance in question is more about individual cars rather than stores;

And while Teslas have Sentry mode that could detect things like paint, door dings, tire vandalism to record a criminal act, law enforcement has rarely been able to enforce much except the extreme or flagrant.

Isn't most law enforcement in the US at a state or local level? Why would that be completely different from a year ago?

I would guess that the multiple interstate locations will bump it to the Federal level. Exactly as it would have, with the Apple stores.

Honestly, I don't think the article supports the headline.

ex. "The cost to insure a Tesla Model 3 went up 30 percent last year.". Nothing happening in March of this year is affecting the price of insurance from last year. I have no doubt that stuff happening in March of this year will affect insurance prices this year but Tesla insurance is just expensive because the availability of Tesla repairs is low.

Whether or not law enforcement (which is most likely state level and therefore didn't change this year) can figure out whose doing vandalism isn't going to affect the price as significantly as Tesla's own inability to repair vehicles.

Agree

Tesla and Tesla charger vandalism was high last year by the anti-ev crowd

It's expected to be higher occurrence, but less measurable (ie, petty vandalism) by the anti Elon crowd

Law enforcement, comprised completely of government workers, is going to go out and find the people protesting against killing off their golden goose?

I think it's more likely they'll start enforcing jaywalking laws against children playing hockey in the street.

Now, I'm not saying anyone should vandalize someone else's car for political reasons but as a campaign to dissuade people from buying Teslas this seems to be quite effective.

Yes, after the recent promotional event at the White House I can easily imagine protecting Teslas becomes a top priority, and that damaging one is punishable by death.

Trump did literally say during that event that attacking Tesla showrooms was domestic terrorism.

Unfortunately a Tesla is not under $900