Seven Tesla Superchargers were set alight earlier this week in the US state of Massachusetts, while a dozen Teslas were reportedly incinerated at a dealership in Toulouse, with both incidents believed to be intentional arson attacks.
The incidents represent a disturbing increase in the public push back against the Tesla brand because of the politics of its CEO Elon Musk. It follows consumer boycotts, protests outside dozens of dealerships, and reports of minor vandalism – scratching and painting cars and dealerships – across Europe and the US in recent weeks.
Fire officers and police in the town of Littleton, Massachusetts, responded to a Tesla Supercharger station just after 1am on Monday, local time, following a report from a neighbour who saw a fire.
The Littleton Fire Department and Littleton Police Department observed seven chargers with heavy fire damage. The Littleton Electric Light & Water Department then had to cut power to the devices before the fires could be extinguished.
Based on available evidence, Littleton Fire, Littleton Police, and State Police fire investigators collectively believe that the fire had been intentionally set. A reward of up to $US5,000 has been offered for information on who set the fire.
The Supercharger fire reportedly took place only a few hours after a similar act of vandalism was carried out at a Tesla dealership near Toulouse, France.
According to local European media outlets, a dozen Teslas were torched early on Monday morning at a Tesla showroom in the Toulouse suburb of Plaisance-du-Touch. The blaze, which is understood to be another act of arson, left eight cars totally burnt out and another four cars badly damaged.
The local prosecutor’s office told the AFP news agency that an investigation had been opened into the attack, saying that evidence suggested the blade was “not at all accidental”.
Philippe Guyot, mayor Plaisance-du-Touch, told the AFP that the showroom itself had not been targeted, and that local firefighters had quickly determined the blaze was criminal.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.