Ten Tesla leaseholders in France are filing a lawsuit against the company. They claim that Elon Musk’s involvement in right-wing politics links the brand to extremism.
Why did French drivers sue Tesla?
According to France 24, French Tesla leaseholders demand that the electric car brand terminate their contracts without penalty and reimburse them for their legal costs.
The lawsuit reads that the drivers suffered “direct and concrete damage” due to Musk’s support for the Trump administration and Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Plus, Musk’s hand-salute controversy has garnered heavy criticism across Europe.
“Tesla-branded vehicles have become strong political symbols and now appear to be veritable extreme-right ‘totems’, to the dismay of those who acquired them with the sole aim of possessing an innovative and ecological vehicle,” the law firm representing the leaseholders says.
Many Tesla drivers feel the same way.
In the United States, some have removed their Tesla’s logo and replaced it with another brand’s crest. Others place stickers with messages like, “I bought this before Elon went crazy.”
How did social media respond to the lawsuit?
Redditors on r/europe agreed that Musk’s involvement in U.S. and European far-right politics has damaged Tesla’s reputation.
“If you had an employee that acted the way Musk did, you would have grounds for dismissal for bringing the company into disrepute as that is in most employment contracts,” one said.
“When a brand’s public image starts to reflect controversial it’s not surprising that loyal customers feel betrayed,” another wrote.
“Until he got into US politics, he was an eccentric billionaire who was talking a bit too much rubbish to be taken serious. It was only during the Trump campaign that he became an eccentric Nazi billionaire,” a third remarked.
Others shared their support for the leaseholders.
“Love this, hope they win. Stay losing Elon,” a commenter wrote.
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