Mumbai, India — As Tesla prepares to expand into the Indian market with its first showroom in Mumbai, the company faces mounting challenges abroad, chiefly in the form of violent protests across the United States. These incidents have surged following President Donald Trump’s appointment of Tesla CEO Elon Musk to lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a move that has led to significant cuts in government spending and job losses.
Tesla’s retail locations in the U.S. have been targeted with arson, gunfire, and vandalism. No injuries have been reported, yet the damage to property is extensive, involving several Tesla vehicle lots, charging stations, and even privately owned cars. This pattern of aggression not only threatens the iconic electric vehicle brand but also underscores broader political tensions.
Randy Blazak, a sociologist specializing in political violence, elaborates on why Tesla has become a target, illustrating how the visibility and accessibility of Tesla’s infrastructure make them susceptible to such actions.
The severity of these attacks varies. In Colorado, prosecutors recently charged a woman involved in destructive acts, including using Molotov cocktails against Tesla properties and graffiti. Similarly, federal agents in South Carolina apprehended a man linked to the arson of Tesla charging stations.
These instances of violence are not isolated to a specific region. In the Pacific Northwest, a hub of anti-Trump and anti-Musk sentiment, Tesla facilities have experienced multiple attacks. In Salem, Oregon, an individual faces charges for throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla store and shooting at it on a separate occasion. In another incident, the Tesla showroom in the Portland suburb of Tigard was hit with over a dozen bullets, marking the second attack on the location within a single week.
Moreover, the phenomenon seems to be spreading. In Seattle, four Tesla Cybertrucks were recently found ablaze, and in Las Vegas, several Tesla vehicles were set on fire, with the word “resist” painted in red on the facility’s doors.
Despite these challenges in the U.S., Tesla’s foray into India appears to be met with optimism. Following a significant meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Elon Musk in Washington, Tesla announced its intentions to hire in India, signaling a strong start to its operations in a country where EV adoption is rapidly accelerating.
India’s favorable EV policy may offer Tesla a smoother entry. The government has recently made strides to reduce customs duty on electric vehicles and implemented a cap on annual imports to encourage domestic manufacturing and investment in the sector. These strategic moves have poised Tesla to potentially avoid the kind of resistance it faces in the U.S.
Indeed, the Indian market shows promising growth for electric vehicles. The country recorded 1.5 million EV registrations in 2023 alone, a 45% increase from the previous year. The overall EV market penetration now stands at 6.3%, indicating significant progress in adoption rates.
As Tesla braces for its Mumbai debut and navigates political backlash abroad, the contrast in reception earmarks a pivotal chapter for the company’s global ventures. Whether these challenges will impede Tesla’s performance in the emerging Indian market or if the supportive policy environment will buffer it against such headwinds remains to be seen.