- Dozens of Tesla Cybertrucks were vandalized in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this week.
- The Cybertruck was spray-painted with messages attacking Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
- The Cybertruck has become a symbol of anger for many of Elon Musk’s critics.
The Tesla Cybertruck has become iconic, but perhaps not in the way Tesla CEO Elon Musk hoped.
Nearly 30 Cybertrucks were vandalized in Florida this week with derogatory messages specifically aimed at Musk.
A 35-second video showing the aftermath of a series of vandalism incidents in a Fort Lauderdale parking lot first garnered attention on Instagram on Friday.
Footage shared to the Only in Broward account shows a convoy of Cybertrucks with the phrase “Fuck Elon” spray-painted on their metal exteriors. The man who filmed the video said Tesla recently rented the parking spot and that the Cybertrucks began arriving three days ago.
“Looks like some people hate Elon…” the caption read.
Local authorities told NBC Miami that 34 vehicles were destroyed in a parking lot where the Cybertruck and other Tesla models were parked.
A person who called authorities said the vehicle was in good condition Thursday night but had been damaged by Friday morning, the media reported.
The vehicles were immediately cleaned or removed from the parking lot.
Representatives for Tesla did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment.
Tesla will begin selling the Cybertruck to the public starting in November 2023. Pricing for the Cybertruck will start at $60,990 for rear-wheel drive and rise to $79,990 for all-wheel drive. With a top speed of 130 mph and a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds, the Cyberbeast will be priced at an estimated $99,990.
Tesla’s Cybertruck has received decidedly mixed reactions in the US, but has been embraced in other countries.
The Dubai Police General Command added the Cybertruck to its fleet of patrol vehicles this month, and Musk and the Cybertruck’s official account praised the decision for the X.
“What an amazing sight! Thank you for your trust!” the Cybertruck account wrote.
Tesla has faced a string of bad news in recent months. The company cut 10% of its global workforce in April and then furloughed more in the weeks that followed. Some traders also say the company’s stock is overvalued. One short seller recently said Tesla shares are part of one of the biggest stock market bubbles in history.
