A Quick Thought on Tesla

Emotions Destroying a Brand

Being Wrong and Embracing It

I’ve been watching Tesla evolve as a business since the Model S debuted in 2012. My initial thought probably echoed many others: “This will never work.”

I’d first seen the Tesla Roadster—built on the old Lotus Elise platform—on Top Gear. To say I was underwhelmed would be a massive understatement. I couldn’t fathom how anyone could build an electric car with adequate range and the infrastructure to support it. Then Tesla did exactly that.

The Model X began to shift my perspective. Beyond a luxury sedan, Tesla now offered a luxury SUV, appealing to a population that had largely abandoned sedans for bigger vehicles. My opinion evolved as the company continued to grow and innovate. As a tech enthusiast, I started paying closer attention. Cars, charging infrastructure, home energy storage, and software—all from one company. It became clear this wasn’t just an environmentalist gimmick. Tesla was real, and it was changing the world.

Opinions and Misinformation

I followed the flood of articles about EVs on major news outlets like Fox News and CNN. Comments often fixated on range and charge times. Sorting through the facts—and stripping away the emotion tied to the seismic shift EVs represent—became essential.

Conservatives and car enthusiasts frequently criticize EVs for range limitations, an easy target. Charge times are another hot button; gas cars refuel in 3-4 minutes at stations on every corner. Oddly enough, what once repelled conservatives is now a massive draw. Misunderstandings about battery tech and “filling up an EV” persist, with commentary often focusing on edge cases—like road trips requiring hours to charge. But for most people, road trips happen a few times a year at most. Planning a car purchase around something so infrequent always struck me as absurd.

Over time, these criticisms have dwindled. EV adoption, driven primarily by Tesla, has become the norm.

Liberalism and Tesla

From 2012 to 2024, EVs were championed mostly by left-leaning audiences. This fueled resentment among conservatives, with the most extreme declaring, “I’ll never own one of those”—often from older voices. As wild as it sounds, the debate over EVs was never about technical merit; it was political.

That’s why Tesla’s challenges in 2025 feel like complete lunacy to me. The company laid out Master Plans detailing its business strategy and executed them near flawlessly: start with a low-volume, high-priced car for a niche audience, then use the profits to build the next one, and so on. Thanks to Tesla’s efforts, you can’t swing a dead cat in a parking lot without hitting an EV—whether it’s a Kia, a Ford, or a Mercedes-Benz. Tesla forced them into existence.

If you believe EVs benefit the environment, you owe Tesla a huge thanks. Nothing has changed with Tesla in the past year. They’re still making cars—better than ever, with the new Model Y hitting the road and refreshes of the S and X on the horizon.

An American Company

Tesla is the most American of car companies, with every vehicle sold in the U.S. built in California or Texas. But Tesla isn’t just building cars. Its engineers are shaping the future. Cars might ultimately be the least of Tesla’s legacy, given the innovation in robotics, AI, and software.

The Tesla charging network remains the most reliable, and the NACS port is becoming the industry standard, now integrated into more and more vehicles. Essentially, Tesla accomplished what the government couldn’t: it built the infrastructure to make EVs viable.

Conclusion

The attacks on Tesla are beyond insane. People bought cars from a company in good faith, and Tesla provides support not just for its own brand but for others through its Supercharger network. Full Self-Driving technology continues to advance rapidly, promising greater freedom for individuals with disabilities. Plus, Tesla generates massive revenue and delivers immense returns for shareholders—likely including your 401(k).

Damaging Tesla means damaging the United States. The madness must stop. Personal property isn’t fair game for protest. Boycotting a brand—like Bud Light or Target—is fine; that’s always an option. But burning buildings and keying cars? Never acceptable.

Let’s find better ways to express our views and unite for positive change. Attacking American brands and private property isn’t the answer.