Tesla owner with Mustang Mach-E reports threats on social media from Tesla fans

Sergio Rodriguez never imagined saying nice things about his new Ford Mustang Mach-E would elicit death threats from Tesla owners on social media.mBut this is 2021, after all. No one seems surprised by much.

And Rodriguez, who was featured in the Free Press in early March, replied, "I've had them message me death threats over my joy with the Mach-E." Rodriguez, 41, a U.S. Army veteran who served two tours in Iraq and specialized in explosive ordnance disposal, is now a military contractor living in Saint Marys, Georgia.

The fiery debate among Ford and Tesla owners reflects the intensity surrounding a growing all-electric market dominated by Tesla. CEO Elon Musk is widely credited as an innovative leader who helped transform public perception of the vehicles. As a result, Tesla has been a darling of Wall Street with a market value that dwarfs all competitors and far exceeds the Detroit Three combined. Tesla cars, which some drivers compare to spaceships, are especially popular in California and China. The Mach-E has been portrayed as the first serious competitor to Tesla in terms of sleek design, speed and handling.

Rodriguez said he was especially alarmed by comments on the Tesla Owners Worldwide private Facebook page, which listed 87,500 members on Saturday. A member had posted a story about his favorable Mach-E reviews and it unleashed a torrent of what he perceived to be disturbing attacks.

"One was, like, 'I hope the car loses control and crashes.' Or 'The car is going to catch fire when you're driving it,'" he said. "I took that as a threat. For you to have any kind of ill will on anybody, why would you say that? Then someone privately messaged me, 'You're full of s*** and I know what your Tesla looks like. If I see it …' That private message on Facebook was more threatening."

Tesla fans have insisted online that Ford must be paying regular people to post nice things on social media about the Mach-E, which has garnered a number of honors including 2021 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award in January, selected by some 50 international jurors.


https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2021/04/04/tesla-owner-reports-threats-praising-ford-mustang-mach-e-elon-musk-sergio-rodriguez/7076886002/