Greg Larsen: Auckland City Electric Vehicles director on the spate of attacks on electric vehicles in Auckland

A man is in police custody after a series of vandalism attacks on electric vehicles took place in Auckland.

Cars including Teslas and a Polestar electric vehicle were reportedly spray-painted - making them unsafe to drive. 

Auckland City Electric Vehicles director Greg Larsen says the Tesla brand has become a 'political football' as a result of CEO Elon Musk's recent actions.

"It's quite interesting that a motor vehicle brand has become a political football - and violence and vigilante kinds of activities are happening because of a vehicle brand."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Rayan Bridge right now.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Fifty two year old man has been arrested after a
spate of attacks on evs in Auckland, Tesla's and polestars
have been targeted with spray paint, basically making them unsafe
to drive because they spray the windows, and they spray
the mirrors and they spray the lights. Police are still
considering charges, but this is happening all around the world.
Tesla facilities have been attacked overseas protest against Elon musk

(00:24):
or consider Electric Vehicles. Director Greg Larson is with me, Greg,
good evening.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Hi Roan, how are you? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Good, thank you? So do you reckon? This is all
deliberate and all to do with Elon.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
Musk Oh, I would say, so, it's quite interesting that
a motor vehicle brand has been has become a political
football and violence and the Gilante kind of activities are
happening because of a vehicle brand.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
Yeah, do you think, well, what is your assessment at
the moment. EV's sales have obviously been down? Is that
what you're experiencing people picking some over others?

Speaker 3 (01:02):
Well, yeah, EV sales are down, and I think it's
probably got to a plateau where it is aligned with
petundering cars and it's sitting sitting nicely as a percentage
of how many cars are on the road. But you know,
when you get these kind of things that are happening
all around the world, it obviously brings the you know,
the eb community to the forefront, that's for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
And has anyone said to you, I don't want an
e V because of because of us?

Speaker 3 (01:30):
Nothing like that yet. Look, you know, there are always
a few muppets that will do silly things to make
a stance. But you know, I've just found out that
somebody has been arrested, and it'll be very interesting to
see what they do with that, you know, to the
point where that person even bandled a poster, which is
not actually a you know, it must be a good rule.

(01:52):
So it just shows you where the mentality is.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Hey, the cheaper Chinese imports ellegible vehicle imports, are they
any good?

Speaker 3 (02:03):
Look, I'm really impressed, you know, to tell the truth,
if we were talking about something like this five or
six years ago, probably a different conversation. But now the
products and what the Chinese are putting onto the market
is extremely good. They just don't have brand recognition, so
you know Tesla has a great brand's you know, it's
the apple of the calf of phones and so yeah,

(02:27):
once these brands get some recognition and people start driving them,
they'll be quite impressed.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
Okay, Greg, thank you for that. Greg Last and Auckland
City Electric Vehicles directorad.

Speaker 1 (02:36):
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