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Seattle was something of a “Tesla Town” before 2025. Now, with CEO Elon Musk’s public antics and influence, the dominantly Democratic Washington city is rejecting its population of Teslas and owners are feeling the pain. On one hand, vandals are damaging the brand’s EVs in protest. On the other, owners are apologizing, obscuring, or even ditching their vehicles altogether. 

Tesla owners in Seattle are removing their badges and buying apologetic stickers

Take a drive around the Emerald City. What will you see? You’ll certainly see museums, craft beer establishments, and tourist traps. But you may also see a sticker that says, “I regret buying this car.” Today, that sticker will likely ride on the rear end of a Tesla. Another owner has a sticker that reads, “I bought this before he was a fascist weirdo.”

The sticker is referring to the automaker’s controversial CEO and DOGE head Elon Musk. Musk’s government involvement, global influence, and divisive public persona have many Tesla owners in Seattle on the defensive.  

“Used-to-be conservatives thought I was an ass for owning a Tesla and now liberals think I’m an ass for owning a Tesla,” a hospice social worker told KUOW. “I think what Elon Musk is doing is horrifying… I wish he didn’t have any association with my car, but I am not in a position to dump a perfectly good reliable car that I need for work because the CEO has gone off the rails,” she lamented.

It’s the sort of thing that’s driving Seattle Model 3 and Model Y owners to take drastic action. Jordan Schwartz, another of the brand’s buyers, used a heat gun and fishing line to remove the badging from his Model Y. Still, other owners didn’t stop there.

No, you’re not seeing things– that Model 3 is pretending to be a Mazda

Some owners of the EV automaker’s vehicles removed their badging in favor of rebranding. Internet compilations show Seattle drivers cruising around in Model 3s and Model Ys with Audi, Mazda, and even Corvette badges. Perhaps the funniest of the not-so-convincing rebadgings, one Cybertruck owner adhered massive Toyota lettering to their tailgate. As if a Cybertruck will ever look like a Toyota Tundra.

Check out a slideshow of the rebadged EVs below!

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and Humvees. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with expertise covering everything from sports cars and electric motorcycles to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He also studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC). When he’s not working, you can find Erik on his motorcycle or out for a spirited drive.